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/MmprouemenfEra 


Si 


JULY,   1943 

VOLUME    46       NUMBER    7. 
RETURN     POSTAGE     GUARANTEED 


SALT 


i;  T  A 


IHoJtlfuj  the  platU 

$&i  TOMORROWS  GAS  APPLIANCES 


War  has  drawn  the  curtain  on  appliance 
manufacturing.  Only  Peace  can  raise  it. 
Until  then,  new  models  must  remain, 
like  new  homes,  "Blueprints  of  Tomor- 
row." *  Today  the  gas  industry  is  de- 
voting its  resources  to  war  production 
and  wartime  service.  But  lights  burn 
late  in  drafting  room  and  laboratory. 
Designers  and  engineers  find  time  to 
confer  on  new  ideas.    Planning  commit- 


tees devote  lunch  hours  to  discussion. 
Models  are  undergoing  rigid  tests.  * 
Thus  the  stage  is  being  set  for  star  per- 
formance— by  gas  ranges,  water  heat- 
ers, furnaces  and  refrigerators  as  new 
as  the  post-war  world,  as  modern  and 
practical  as  your  future  home!  Mean- 
while, buy  more  War  Bonds  and  Stamps. 

MOUNTAIN  FUEL  SUPPLY  COMPANY 

Offices  in  Salt  Lake,  Ogden,  Provo 


SERVING    TWENTY-THREE    UTAH    COMMUNITIES 


IN    WAR    AND    PEACE 


By  DR.  FRANKLIN  S.  HARRIS,  JR. 

jDedbugs  and  lice,  those  carriers  of 
^  typhus,  can  be  destroyed  by  a  new 
powder  when  dusted  into  clothing.  The 
powder  retains  its  power  even  after 
the  clothing  has  been  washed. 
4 , , 

A  lmost  ten  million  rivets  were  used 

^  in  building  the  hull  of  the  Queen 

,  Mary.    If  these  rivets  were  placed  end 

to  end  they  would  extend  three  hundred 

miles. 


T^he  arrival  of  children  in  the  world 
X  in  1942  for  589  women  in  the  United 
States,  in  more  than  a  score  of  hospitals, 
was  possible  without  labor  pangs  or  the 
usual  suffering,  with  the  aid  of  a  new 
method  developed  by  Drs.  R.  A.  Hing- 
son  and  W.  B.  Edwards.  According  to 
Dr.  Thomas  Parran,  Surgeon  General 
of  the  United  States,  "In  the  hands  of 
experts,  this  new  method  makes  child- 
bearing  dramatically  painless,  and  safer 
for  mother  and  child."  The  method 
consists  of  using  metycaine  to  continu- 
ously block  the  nerves  concerned  in 
childbirth  by  injecting  a  few  teaspoon- 
fuls  of  the  anesthetic  in  the  caudal 
region,  at  the  very  base  of  the  spine. 

4 

Tf  seeds  are  planted  in  a  soil  with  large 
amounts  of  soluble  salts,  such  as 
there  is  in  much  of  western  U.S.,  the 
soil  is  "thirstier"  than  the  plant;  hence, 
the  seeds  cannot  take  water  from  the 
soil  and  fail  to  grow.  Seeds  which 
normally  germinate  in  six  days  have 
been  delayed  as  long  as  twenty-one 
days  in  soil  containing  an  excessive 
amount  of  soluble  salts. 


'"Phe  locations  of  well  over  two-thirds 
of  the  622  places  named  in  the  Bible 
west  of  the  Jordan  River  in  Palestine 
have  been  identified. 


C  P.  Thompson  has  found  that  alter- 
^*  nating  electric  fields,  under  some 
conditions,  actually  stimulate  the  optic 
nerve  in  such  a  way  that  a  person  would 
believe  he  had  seen  light. 


"^on-magnetic  miniature  radial  ball 
A  ^  bearings  three  thirty-seconds  of  an 
inch  in  diameter  are  now  made  from  a 
bismuth-copper  alloy.  They  are  used  in 
instruments  whose  magnetism  or  re- 
sistance to  corrosion  may  be  important. 

4 

C  ufferers  from  hay-fever  have  a  new 
^  hope  of  relief  if  they  use  large 
amounts  of  vitamin  C  (ascorbic  acid) 
from  results  obtained  by  Harry  N. 
Holmes  and  Wyvona  Alexander  at 
Oberlin  College.  The  amounts  used 
were  250  to  500  milligrams  daily.  It  is 
(Concluded  on  page  388) 

JULY,  194,3 


Children  Love  the  Distinctive  Flavor  of  Honey  Bee  Grahams 
For  Between -Meal  Snacks! 

P\URING  THESE  strenuous  vacation  months  it's  a  good  idea 
to  keep  a  plentiful  supply  of  Honey  Bee  Grahams  on  hand  — 
ready  in  an  instant  to  provide  a  wholesome,  delicious  between- 
meal  snack  for  the  children.  So  easy  to  fix  without  fuss  or  bother. 
Serve  with  cold  milk  or  milk  shakes  for  extra  nourishment. 


^GRAHAMSfcyPURITY 

Oven-Freshness  Sealed  In  Frosted  Wax 


mmm 


m 


- 


mmm 


Enormous  Tax  on  Agriculture 

caused  by 

Noxious  Weeds  and 
Soil  Insects 


Morning  glory  —  hoary  cress  —  knapweed 
and  other  deep-rooted  perennials. 

Nematode  —  wireworm  —  symphylids  ■ — 
sow  bugs  —  mealy  bugs  and  others. 

All  these  and  many  more  ills  can  be 
controlled  by 

CARBON 
BISULPHIDE 

Send  for  our  free  circular  212P  and  learn 
more  about  Noxious  Weed  and  Soil  Insect 
ControL 


WHEELER,  REYNOLDS  &  STAyFFER/636  California  St.,  San  Francisco 


Distributors — Wasatch  Chemical  Co.,  Salt  Lake  City  and  Branches 


385 


7^lmprooemenfEra 


'The  Glory  of  God  is  Intelligence" 


JULY,     1943 


VOLUME    46 


NUMBER    7 


"THE  VOICE  OF  THE  CHURCH' 


OFFICIAL  ORGAN  OF  THE  PRIESTHOOD  QUORUMS, 
MUTUAL  IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATIONS,  DEPART- 
MENT OF  EDUCATION,  MUSIC  COMMITTEE.  WARD 
TEACHERS,  AND  OTHER  AGENCIES  OF  THE  CHURCH 
OF     JESUS     CHRIST     OF      LATTER-DAY     SAINTS 


Heber  J.   Grant, 
John  A.  Widtsoe, 

Editors 
Richard  L.  Evans, 

Managing  Editor 
Marba  C.  Josephson, 
William  Mulder, 

Associate  Editors 

George  Q.  Morris.  General  Mgr. 
Lucy  G.  Cannon.  Associate  Mgr. 
J.  K.  Orton,  Business  Mgr. 


J  Jul  £dii&iL  (poqsL 

"Conspiring  Men" Heber  J.  Grant  395 


396 
397 
409 


Peace — The  Concern  of  the  Church Albert  E.  Bowen 

Hearing  the  Voice Harold  B.  Lee 

President  Edward  J.  Wood C  Frank  Steele 

Evidences  and  Reconciliations:  LXVIII — Why  Do  We  Par* 

take  of  the  Sacrament? John  A.  Widtsoe  417 

Conference  Address Joseph  L.  Wirthlin  438 

Genealogy  406 

Grandpa  Gayler,   Pioneer,  Jack 

Northman  Anderson 408 

The  Church  Moves  On 414 

Priesthood:  Melchizedek 424 

No-Liquor-Tobacco 425 


Work  of  the  Seventy 426 

Aaronic   427 

Ward  Teaching  428 

Music:  Hymns  of  the  Month, 
J.  Spencer  Cornwall  and  Alex- 
ander Schreiner 429 


SfiGJcioL  JmIjUMJu 


Pioneer  Diary  of  Eliza  R«  Snow — Part  V 398 

The  Gardener  and  the  Currant  Bush Hugh  B.  Brown  399 

Brigham  Young  in  Mendon,  New  York Preston  Nibley  400 

Sam  Brannan  and  the  Mormons  in  Early  California — Part 

X Paul  Bailey  402 

Sir  Walter  Scott,  Genealogist ...Archibald  F.  Bennett  406 

The  Two  Unidentified  Men A.  L.  Curtis  410 

Missionary  for  the  Church John  K.  Orton  412 

Exploring  the  Universe,  Frank-  Eloquent  Chairs  from  Zion  Can- 

lin  S.  Harris,  Jr _ 385  yon   Country,   Frank  R.   Ar- 


Word  Portrait,  Goff  Dowding....386 
The  Arch  and  the  Wheel  in  An- 
cient America,  Charles  E.  Dib- 
ble   387 

Telefact  388 

Home  Night  at  the  Braun's 390 

For      Gardeners,      Robert      H. 

Daines  391 

The  Religious  Attitude  of  Noted 
Men,  Leon  M.  Strong 394 


nold    405 

Homing:    Never  a  Cross  Word, 

Helen  Maring  418 

Handy  Hints 418 

Cooks'   Corner,   Josephine  B. 

Nichols    4 1 9 

On  the  Book  Rack „ 421 

News  from  the  Camps 423 

Index  to  Advertisers 439 

Your  Page  and  Ours 448 


fiditoucdsu 


Sylvester  Q,  Cannon John  A,  Widtsoe  416 

Sobering  from  the  First  Draughts  of  New  Knowledge 

Richard  L.  Evans  416 

The  Myth  of  "Honor  Among  Thieves" Richard  L.  Evans  416 

Prudence _ Deone  Robinson  404 

Grandpa  Gayler,  Pioneer Jack  N.  Anderson  408 

Frontispiece:      Pioneer     Burial,  Poetry  Page  411 

1847.  Lisbeth  Wallis 393      Unmitigated,  Lorin  F.  Buder 431 

My   Wish,    Mabel   Jones   Gab-  Scriptural  Crossword  Puzzle, 

bott  _ 399 


..442 


JhsL  fov&Ji* 


The  cover  by  Harriet  Ellen  Taggart  symbolizes  the  hope  of  free  men  the  world 
over  for  the  democracy  which  assures  security  of  home  and  loved  ones. 

386 


<? 

.  .  .  * Jtudy  and  learn, 

and  become  acquainted  with 
all  good  books,  and  with 
languages,  tongues,  and 
people.  .  .  . 

And  as  all  have  not  faith, 
seek  ye  diligently  and  teach 
one  another  words  of  wis~ 
dotn;  yea,  seek  ye  out  of  the 
best  books  words  of  wis- 
dom; seek  learning,  even  by 
study  and  also  by  faith. 
^D.SC90:15;  88:118 


EXECUTIVE  AND  EDITORIAL 

OFFICES; 

50  North  Main  Street,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 

Copyright  1943  by  Mutual  Funds.  Inc.,  a  Cor- 
poration of  the  Young  Men's  Mutual  Improve' 
ment  Association  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
of  Latter-day  Saints.  All  rights  reserved.  Sub- 
scription price,  $2.00  a  year,  in  advance;  20c 
single  copy. 

Entered  at  the  Post  Office.  Salt  Lake  City. 
Utah,  as  second-class  matter.  Acceptance  for 
mailing  at  special  rate  of  postage  provided 
for  in  section  1103,  Act  of  October.  1917. 
authorized  July  2,  1918. 

The  Improvement  Era  is  not  responsible 
for  unsolicited  manuscripts,  but  welcomes  con- 
tributions. All  manuscripts  must  be  accompanied 
by  sufficient  postage  for  delivery  and  return. 


NATIONAL  ADVERTISING 
REPRESENTATIVES 

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San  Francisco:  Edward  S.  Townsend 
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MEMBER  OF  THE  AUDIT  BUREAU  OF 
CIRCULATIONS 


A  MAGAZINE  FOR  EVERY 
MEMBER  OF  THE  FAMILY 

TH€  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


JhsL 

ARCH  and  the  WHEEL 

By  DR.  CHARLES  E.  DIBBLE 

HPhe  sum  total  of  our  knowledge  of 
American  Indian  cultures  is  in- 
creased with  each  new  archaeological 
discovery.  Some  "finds"  strengthen  ex- 
isting theories  and  interpretations, 
whereas  others  call  for  a  re-defining  of 
the  problem  at  hand  and  give  scholars 
a  new  avenue  of  research. 

It  is  generally  agreed  that,  with  the 
exception  of  the  igloo  of  the  Eskimo, 
the  "true  arch"  was  not  an  architectural 
feature  in  the  New  World.  Mayan  en- 
gineers roofed  their  ceremonial  build- 
ings with  the  corbeled  arch.  The  cor- 
beled arch  was  formed  by  placing  a 
stone  to  project  beyond  the  one  below 
it.  The  two  series  of  consecutively 
protruding  stones  approached  each 
other  in  the  manner  of  a  capital  A. 

It  has  also  been  a  popular  convic- 
tion among  archaeologists  that  the 
American  Indian  had  no  knowledge  of 
the  wheel.  Smithsonian  Institution 
workers  have  discovered  clay  objects 
in  Southern  Mexico  which  suggest  that 
the  early  inhabitants  were  not  entirely 
ignorant  of  the  use  of  the  wheel.  A 
small  clay  dog  and  a  laughing  jaguar 
were  found  with  clay  tubes  piercing  the 
feet.  Associated  with  the  animals, 
eight  small  clay  disks  were  discovered. 
It  is  possible  that  the  Indians  inserted 
wooden  axles  in  the  tubes  and  used  the 
pottery  disks  for  wheels.  This  recent 
discovery  suggests  that  the  use  of  the 
wheel  may  not  have  been  entirely  un- 
known to  American  Indians. 


According    to    Ignacio  Marquina 

THE   CORBELED    ARCH    OF   THE    MAYAS.     UN- 
LIKE THE  TRUE  ARCH,  IT  HAS  NO   KEYSTONE. 

JULY,  1943 


'■ 


IT 
WAIT  I 


m 


. 


/"T>HE  most  important  item  in  car  care  is  lubrica- 
tion— proper  lubrication.     Don't  neglect   it,  even 
though  you're  using  your  car  less. 

Here's  a  safe  rule  to  follow:  Let  your  Pep  88-Vico 
service  man  give  your  car  a  complete  Specialised 
Lubrication  job  and  crankcase  oil  change  every  six 
to  eight  weeks  regardless  of  mileage.  This  will  assure 
fresh,  uncontaminated  lubricants  in  every  vital  part 
of  your  car  at  all  times. 


Walk,  to  Church 

Conserve  your  car,  gasoline  and  tires 
for   essential  wartime   transportation 


KEEP  YOUR  CAR 
IN  FIGHTING  TRIM 


***w7n*°** 


Utah  Oil  Refining  Company  Stations  and  Dealers  In  Its  Products 


"X3>f 
19^ 


AMERICA'S     FINEST    O  V  ERA  L  L 


LEVI'S 


SINCE   1850 


there's  a  reason- 
No  others  Wear  like  LEVI'S! 


LEVI  STRAUSS. 


A  NEW   PAIR   FREE 
IF  THEY    RIP 


scratch  CONCEALED  COPPER  RIVETS  ON  BACK  POCKETS 


387 


*•- 


-•Ar 


We  are  Planning 
NOW  for  the  School 
Year  194344 

Faculty  members  are  preparing  and  re- 
vising courses  in  harmony  with  Brigham 
Young  University's  traditional  policy  of 
training  for  CHARACTER,  as  well  as  for 
military  and  professional  efficiency. 

Libraries,  laboratories,  and  physical  fa- 
cilities are  better  than  ever  before. 

The  breadth  of  the  offering  is  indicated 
by  the  fact  that  the  University  organiza- 
tion includes  thirty-eight  regular  depart- 
ments functioning  under  the  following 
colleges  and  divisions: 

COLLEGE  OF  APPLIED  SCIENCE 

COLLEGE  OF  ARTS  AND 

SCIENCES 
COLLEGE  OF  COMMERCE 
COLLEGE  OF  EDUCATION 
COLLEGE  OF  FINE  ARTS 
GRADUATE  SCHOOL 
DIVISION  OF  RELIGIOUS 

EDUCATION 
EXTENSION  DIVISION 

The  work  of  these  departments  is  sup- 
plemented, at  no  additional  cost  to  the 
student,  by  a  lyceum  course  which  in- 
cludes each  year  many  of  the  world's 
most  famous  personalities. 

Second  Summer  Term  Begins 

July  26 

Autumn  Quarter  Begins  October  1 

For  additional  information  address 
The  President 

Brigham  Young  University 

Provo,  Utah 

ft ft 

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII1IIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII1IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIII 

IKE  USE  For  OVER  FIRY  YEARS 

Aids  in  treatment  of  Canker,  simple 
sore  throat,  and  other  minor  mouth 
and  throat  irritations. 

Hall's  Canker  Remedy 

536    East   2nd   So.    —    at    Salt    Lake    City,    Utah 
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiimiiiiimiiiimiiiimiiiiimiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiHiimiiiiiimiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiii 


mmmer 


£ 


vemn 


C^niou  the  eJLona  «3& 

By  Reading 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 

50  North  Main  Street,  Salt  Lake  City 

;:  $2.00  a  year 

388  " 


f6 


TEtEFACT 


VICTORY  GARDENS 


A 


3  MILLION  GARDENS 


5.5  MILLION  GARDENS 


1943 

VICTORY 
GARDENS 


Pictograph  Corporation  . 


EXPLORING  THE  UNIVERSE 


( Concluded  [com  page  385 ) 
believed  that  the  vitamin  C  reacts  with 
the  disturbing,  extra,  irritating  amounts 
of  histamine  in  the  blood  to  relieve  the 
sneezing  and  wheezing. 
h* 

/^wls,  the  night  heron,  and  the  blue 
^^  crane,  according  to  some  natural- 
ists, have  been  seen  at  night  with  their 
feathers  shining,  to  give  a  luminous 
glow. 


denite,  a  jelly-like  material  once  used  in 
making  safety  glass. 

■4 

A  IR  over  desert  mountains  may  be  as 
*r_  dry  as  the  desert  itself.  The  total 
moisture  in  the  air  above  Montezuma, 
Chile,  would  give  only  enough  rain  for 
less  than  one-hundredth  of  an  inch.  The 
amount  over  Washington,  D.C.,  during 
summer  may  amount  to  about  an  inch  of 
rain,  according  to  recent  work  by  Dr. 
C.  G.  Abbott. 


rTrHE  weather  in  the  eastern  Mediter- 
ranean  sometimes  produces  a  rapid 
uplift  of  moist  air  which  promotes  the 
formation  of  hail  of  large  and  danger- 
ous size.  In  recent  years,  sheep  and 
even  cattle  have  been  brained  by  the 
large  hailstones  which  fall  occasionally 
in  Palestinian  storms,  and  in  Egypt 
crops  have  been  cut  to  pieces  by  hail- 
stones over  an  inch  in  diameter.  In 
the  Bible,  one  of  the  Egyptian  plagues 
(Exodus  9:18-34)  was  hail  and  the 
Amorites  had  more  killed  by  hail  than 
by  the  Israelites  (Joshua  10:11 ). 


Tnsects  form  part  of  the  diet  of  native 
races  in  many  places.  In  Africa, 
termites,  which  have  a  pineapple-like 
taste,  are  eaten.  Ants  are  served  in 
many  different  ways :  they  may  be  made 
into  a  paste  and  spread  like  jam  on 
bread  and  butter;  in  India  the  green 
weaver  ants  are  used  as  a  spice  with 
the  curry;  the  same  ants  in  Australia 
may  be  drunk  when  mashed  in  water 
to  give  a  lemon  squash  flavor.  In  Asia 
bees  may  be  plucked  and  fried  in  but- 
ter. 


HPhe  oldest  parliament  in  the  world  is 
that  of  Iceland,  which  has  been  in 
continuous  existence  for  1013  years. 


A  taximeter  has  been  patented  which 
■**'  automatically  begins  to  register  the 
fare  when  the  passenger  sits  down. 


Tf  the  three  million  books  in  the  New 
York  Public  Library  were  recorded 
on  microfilm,  the  library  would  take 
only  as  much  space  as  its  card  catalogue 
now  occupies.  A  strip  sixteen  milli- 
meters wide  and  one  hundred  feet  long, 
small  enough  to  be  put  in  a  vest  pocket, 
can  record  one  thousand  sixteen  pages, 
the  amount  in  five  ordinary  books. 
4 

HpHE  surface  of  the  earth  on  land  is 
subject  to  tides  just  as  the  water  is 
in  the  oceans.  The  amount  of  this  tidal 
movement  at  Austin,  Texas,  is  two  to 
three  inches,  as  measured  by  Professor 
A.  E.  Lockenvitz. 
4 

A  waterproof  fabric  not  affected  by 
^^  heat  or  ordinary  chemicals  can  be 
made    by   coating    textiles   with    Hay- 


TV  new  type  of  lamp  made  of  carbor- 
*^^  undum  has  been  patented  which  is 
supposed  to  use  less  current  and  be  a 
better  lamp.  Crystals  made  of  carbor- 
undum, familiar  as  an  abrasive,  produce 
light  when  a  current  runs  through  them 
without  being  in  a  vacuum  or  requiring 
special  transformers  or  equipment. 


Tt  is  thought  that  after  young  salmon 
fish  go  downstream  to  the  sea  they 
go  down  to  depths  of  between  three 
to  five  thousand  feet  below  the  water's 
surface.  Though  there  is  no  light,  and 
hence  no  plant  growth  at  these  depths, 
there  is  plenty  of  animal  life  and  the 
salmon  feed  on  prawns  and  shrimps  un- 
til time  for  spawning  takes  them  back 
up  the  rivers.  ■« 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Bucket  Brigade  s  Fire  Hose 


CHE  OLD-STYLE  WAY  of  distribution  was  like  a  bucket 
brigade  . . .  food  items  moved  through  many  hands  on 
their  way  from  the  producer  to  the  consumer. 


THE  MODERN  METHOD  of  food  distribution  pioneered 
by  Safeway  works  to  eliminate  waste  motion,  needless 
handling  charges  and  in-between  costs.  The  greater  effi- 
ciency of  this  method  is  today  of  vital  importance  to 
farmers,  city  folk . . .  and  to  a  Nation  at  war. 


Ta 


.ake  the  saving  in 
manpower  for  instance: 

Under  the  old-fashioned  food 
handling  system  it  took  4,000 
people  to  get  produce  from 
the  farms  to  the  retail  stores 
of  one  great  city. 

Safeway's  modern  plan  of 
food  distribution  eliminates 
unnecessary  middlemen  and 


This  represents  a  saving  in 
manpower  of  2,400  men  over 
the  less  efficient  method! 

It  frees  these  men  to  help 
build  ships  and  planes,  and 
to  work  on  farms. 

Such  manpower  saving  has 
helped  to  reduce  marketing 


cross-hauling,  extra  trucking 
and  labor.  So  to  do  the  same 
sort  of  job  takes  only  1,600 
men.  (Comparison  based  on 
report  of  U.S.  Bureau  of  Agri- 
cultural Economics.) 


costs  and  increase  the  farm- 
er's share  of  the  consumer's 
dollar.  This  helps  lower  the 
cost  of  food  so  that  every- 
body, especially  the  many 
low  income  consumers,  can 
buy  more.  Thus  the  farmer's 
market  is  made  larger. 


Twenty  -  seven  years  ago 
Safeway  people  began  to  im- 
prove methods  of  getting 
foods  from  producer  to  con- 
sumer. 

Today,  this  more  efficient 
food  distribution  system  is  a 
national  asset.  In  war  or 
peace,  everybody  benefits  by 
the  straightest  possible  road 
between  farmer  and  con- 
sumer. 

You  are  a  consumer  as  well 
as  a  producer.  We  invite  you 
to  trade  with  your  Safeway 
for  one  full  month  . . .  and 
compare  what  you  save. 

SAFEWAY 


JULY,  1943 


389 


Finer-Flavored 

MORNING 
MILK 


In  the  Gospel 
Met... 

by  Dr.  John  A.  Widtsoe 

An  Inspiring  True  Story 

Handsomely  bound  and 
Illustrated— $1.25 

An  Improvement  Era  publication 
50  North  Main  Street 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


HOME  NIGHT  at  tfoL  fthawik. 


As  told  by  uThe  Family" 


Home  Night  at  the  Braun  House, 
880  South  Norton  Avenue,  Los 
Angeles,  has  come  about  partly 
as  a  result  of  tire  and  gas  rationing  and 
..novie  queues,  and  partly  from  a  feeling 
of  a  need  for  an  old-fashioned  family 
get-together  in  the  evening. 

Our  house  is  probably  best  described 
as  a  home-away- from-home,  and  has 
become  the  landing  place  for  many 
young  people  who  have  converged  on 
the  "Southland"  from  the  western 
states,  and  occasionally  from  spots 
far  removed  as  Virginia  and  West  Vir 


as 


ample  source  from  which  to  draw  ma- 
terial for  our  Wednesday  evening  get- 
togethers.  Our  program  ranges  from 
musical  treats,  dramatic  interludes,  and 
folk-dancing  to  exciting  and  deep 
theological  discussions.  In  fact,  we 
have  capable  leaders  in  almost  any  ac- 
tivity which  could  lend  entertainment 
and  interest  to  our  Home  Nights. 

T^ach  Home  Night  is  directed  by  a 
■  boy  and  a  girl,  previously  ap- 
pointed, who  preside  for  the  evening. 
We    start   out    by   singing    a    favorite 


ginia.  They  have  come,  usually,  to  try 
.heir  wings  on  their  first  test  flights 
away  from  home.  This  home  is  run  by 
Brother  and  Sister  G.  A.  Braun  of  the 
Wilshire  Ward,  who  are  affectionately 
called  "Mom"  and  "Pop"  by  their 
teeming  family  of  about  twenty  young 
men  and  women.  It  might  be  looked 
upon  as  the  typical  big  Mormon  family. 

In  our  family  are  workers  in  almost 
every  activity  of  the  Church.  At  the 
last  ward  conference  Priesthood  meet- 
ing, the  Priesthood  of  the  family  were 
seen  lined  up  thirteen  in  a  row.  We 
would  love  to  have  our  parents  know 
we  are  active  in  the  Church  and  enjoy- 
ing abundant  health  under  the  expert 
hand  of  "Mom"  and  "Pop"  Braun. 

In  the  workaday  world,  we  represent 
Lockheed,  Vega,  and  Douglas  Aircraft 
companies,  Shell  Oil  Company,  Bank 
of  America,  F.B.I.,  Civil  Service,  Com- 
mercial Selling,  Los  Angeles  Ship  & 
Drydock  Company.  We  have  among 
us  a  Doctor  of  Psychology,  a  Master  of 
Science,  college  graduates,  chemical  re- 
searchers, a  student — about  fourteen 
bachelors  and  seven  eligible  young 
women. 

Hobbies  and  talents  of  the  represen- 
tative group  are  so  varied  that  we  have 


390 


—Photo  by  j.  M.  Heslop 

AT  HOME  AWAY   FROM   HOME 

These  young  Latter-day  Saints  who  have  come 
to  Los  Angeles  from  all  over  the  country  to  work 
in  essential  industries  are  more  than  boarders  living 
under  the  congenial  roof  of  "Mom"  and  "Pop" 
Braun — they  are  "the  family."  A  weekly  "Home 
Night"  is  their  answer  to  many  of  the  problems  which 
might  beset  young  people  away  from  home  in  these 
times. 


hymn.    Then  we  kneel  in  a  circle  and 
have  family  prayer. 

From  then  on  the  program  varies. 
One  evening  we  thoroughly  enjoyed 
listening  to  some  of  the  records,  "The 
Fulness  of  Times,"  prepared  by  the 
Church.  Another  night  we  had  a  de- 
lightful time  recording  a  complete 
dramatic  program,  which  included 
many  skits  and  even  talks  from  a  "spon- 
sor" and  "our  advertisers."  Still  an- 
other evening  a  program  on  literature, 
cleverly  handled,  gave  us  an  insight  into 
the  lives  of  great  historical  figures, 
poets,  and  authors.  Always  there  is  a 
great  deal  of  discussion  on  religious 
problems,  and  at  these  discussions  we 
feel  free  to  ask  any  questions  which 
might  bother  us  as  individuals,  especial- 
ly in  view  of  the  fact  that  we  have  a 
good  number  of  returned  missionaries 
in  our  midst,  capable  of  giving  us  com- 
petent information. 

{Concluded  on  page  429) 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


3&l  ^ahd&m/ibu 

By  Robert  H.  Dairies 

Associate  Plant  Pathologist 

New  Jersey  Agricultural  Experiment 

Station 


Pouring  July  the  chief  problems  of  the 
vegetable  gardener  are  usually  con- 
cerned with  the  utilization  of  the  pro- 
duce, the  keeping  of  weeds,  insects,  and 
diseases  in  check,  and  coping  with 
water  shortage.  The  question  of  plant- 
ing certain  fall  crops  for  table  use  and 
storage  should  also  receive  attention. 

Utilization  of  Produce 

This  is  the  season  of  the  year  when 
many  gardeners  are  having  snap  beans 
twice  a  day,  seven  days  a  week  be- 
cause of  an  overplanting  of  beans. 
Where  possible,  surpluses  should  be 
preserved  for  winter  use.  The  time 
when  such  gluts  are  occurring  in  the 
home  garden  is  usually  the  best  time  of 
the  year  to  buy  this  produce  for  can- 
ning purposes. 

Keep  Weeds  in  Check 

Weeds  not  only  rob  cultivated  crop 
plants  of  needed  water,  but  they  also 
use  plant  nutrients,  sunlight,  and  room 


in  the  garden  which  should  be  avail- 
able for  the  vegetable  crops.  Don't 
provide  these  saboteurs  with  a  haven 
in  your  garden. 


Staked  Tomatoes 

It  is  usually  advised  that  all  side 
shoots  or  suckers  that  develop  up  to  the 
fourth  flower  cluster,  be  removed  from 
staked  tomatoes.  Side  shoots  that  de- 
velop by  or  above  the  fourth  flower 
cluster  should  not  be  pruned. 

Control  Corn  Ear  Worm 

During  this  season  of  the  year  many 
insect  infestations  are  at  their  peak. 
Where  information  on  methods  of  con- 
trolling injurious  insects  is  needed,  con- 
sult your  county  agricultural  agent  for 
the  best  control  measures  for  your 
vicinity. 

The  damage  caused  by  the  corn  ear 


worm  can  be  considerably  reduced  by 
depositing  in  the  tip  of  the  ear  about 
one-fourth  teaspoonful  of  white  min- 
eral oil  which  carries  either  0.2% 
pyrethrum  or  2%  dichloroethyl  ether. 
For  best  results  this  material  should  be 
deposited  in  the  tip  of  the  ear  from 
seven  to  ten  days  after  silk  exposure. 
Where  the  application  is  made  too 
early  the  formation  of  kernels  will  be 
interfered  with,  and  where  the  applica- 
tion is  delayed  too  much,  the  efficiency 
of  the  treatment  is  reduced.  This  treat- 
ment can  best  be  made  with  an  oil  can, 
care  being  exercised  to  avoid  applying 
overdoses.  These  materials  can  usually 
be  purchased  ready  for  use. 

Where  the  corn  is  being  grown  under 
cool  atmospheric  conditions,  dichloroe- 
thyl ether  should  not  be  used  since  un- 
der such  conditions  it  may  affect  th«» 
flavor  of  the  corn. 

Plant  for  Fall  Use  and 
Winter  Storage 

In  many  sections,  radishes,  scallions 
from  onion  sets,  and  such  greens  and 
salad  crops  as  spinach,  Swiss  chard, 
kale,  lettuce,  endive,  mustard,  and 
broccoli  plants  can  be  planted  now 
(July  and  in  some  cases  August)  for 
fall  use.  Where  the  growing  season 
does  not  end  before  early  October,  bush 
(Concluded  on  page  392) 


No  Workdays  Off 
(till  that  After-War 


Car  Trip) 


Women  must  work  so  that  we  all  may  win... and  have 
the  boys  coming  home  all  the  sooner.  Not  long  after  that, 
you  may  wager,  plenty  of  re-united  American  families 
will  be  reviving  the  great  American  sport  of  taking  a  trip 
in  the  car. 

What  car? 

Not  even  the  last  pre-war  models  could  be  duplicated 
instantly,  and  the  auto  industry  will  outdo  those — all  of 
which  will  take  time.  You'll  find  it  hard  to  wait.  But  how 
easily  you  can  give  your  present  much-needed  car  a  great 
opportunity  to  outlive  the  Axis. 

First... now... shield  your  engine  from  acid.  This  un- 
avoidable product  of  combustion  was  formerly  rather 
safely  expelled  in  regular  driving,  at  normal  speed  and 
heat.  But  your  semi-occasional,  slow,  short  drives  nowa- 
days barely  heat  the  engine.  Chemists  know  that  this  in- 
vites strongest  acid  attacks,  yet  engines  oil-plated  by 
Conoco  NM  motor  oil  have  proved  able  to  resist  remark- 
ably, and  you  can  see  why. 

In  patented  Conoco  N^»  motor  oil,  a  synthetic  of 
apparently  "magnet-like"  energy  joins  lubricant  closely 
to  inner  engine  surfaces,  as  if  to  stay — like  any  familiar 
plating.  In  not  all  draining  down  to  the  crankcase, 
even  at  a  standstill,  the  oil-plating  "walls  off"  the 
inner  surfaces  from  the  hungry  acid.  And  so  you'll  have 
a  good  car  that  much  longer... by  oil-plating... with 
Conoco  N^i . . .  at  Your  Mileage  Merchant's  Conoco  sta- 
tion. Continental  Oil  Company 


CONOGO 


MOTOR  OIL 


JULY,  1943 


391 


For  Gardeners 

{Concluded  from  page  391 ) 

beans,  table  beets,  carrots,  cabbage 
plants,  cauliflower  plants,  turnips,  or 
rutabagas  can  probably  be  planted  in 
early  July  and  harvested  for  table  use, 
canning,  or  storing.  By  taking  advan- 
tage of  these  late  plantings  the  garden 
space  can  be  utilized  throughout  the 


growing  season,  and  the  gardener  will 
be  supplied  with  an  additional  amount 
of  produce  for  fall  and  winter  use. 
Where  late  plantings  are  planned  it 
would  be  wise  to  consult  county  agri- 
cultural agents  for  such  information  as 
varieties  best  adapted  to  your  location 
and  latest  planting  dates  advisable. 
Where  home  storage  is  contemplated, 
varieties  that  keep  well  in  storage 
should  be  used. 


"Fencing  Out"  Insects 

Where  one  would  like  to  avoid  the 
use  of  a  poison  bait,  paper  collars  can 
be  placed  around  such  plants  as  toma- 
toes, cabbage,  peppers,  eggplants,  etc., 
at  transplanting  time.  These  collars  ex- 
tend an  inch  or  so  under  the  ground  and 
about  two  inches  above  the  ground. 
They  provide  the  plant  with  a  fence 
that  effectively  protects  it  against  cut 


worms. 


Diesel  Lubricant 
Ends  Stuck  Rings 

Nowadays  you  just  can't  spare  the 
time  to  tear  down  a  balky  Diesel 
and  clean  stuck  rings,  or  put  in 
newliners.  It's 
a  lot  simpler 
to  lubricate 
with  RPM 
DELO,  the 
Diesel  lubri- 
cant that  will 
not  gum  or 
stick  rings, 
gives  better 
protection 
against  wear, 
won't  corrode 
bearings,  min- 
imizes sludge  and  deposits. 

RPM  DELO  is  used  by  the 
Navy  in  its  subs.  You  know  it's 
got  to  be  good,  to  keep  those  "pig 
boat"  engines  clean  and  trouble- 
free  on  long  cruises  far  from  bases. 
The  jobs  your  Diesel  equipment 
3s  doing  are  war  jobs  too.  Don't 
risk  needless  breakdowns,  use 
RPM  DELO  regu- 
larly. In  actual  serv- 
ice it  frequently  cuts 
overhauls  IN  HALF. 


cmos  sticking 
Rings 


STICKS  TO 
HOT  SPOTS - 


CUAN5  ENGINE 


WONT  CORRODE 
BEARINGS 


REDUCES  SLUDGE 


Rust  Eater  Speeds 
Implement  Repair 

To  save  broken  bolts  and  stripped 
threads,  or  to  avoid  replacement 
of  parts  rusted  together:  use  a 
few  drops  of  Standard  Penetrating 
Oil  to  loosen  the  rust. 

Nowadays,  many  farmers  are 
fixing  up  old  machines,  or  salvag- 
ing parts  for  repairs.  Standard 
Penetrating  Oil  is  just  the  ticket 
for  jobs  like  these.  Just  spray  or 
brush  it  on  rusty  equipment. 


Free  Ration-Book  Holder 

A  handy  pocket  folder  for  mileage 
coupon  books — plus  tire  and  gas 
record  forms  and  driving  tips.  It's 
FREE — ask  your  Standard  Man. 


FREE  BOOK  SHOWS  SAFE  WAY 

TO  PACK  WHEEL  BEARINGS 

It's  not  only  easier  to  do  the  job  right,  nowadays  it's  essential.  With 
heavier  loads  and  overtime  use,  wheel  bearings  need  extra  careful  atten- 
tion. That's  why  Standard  is  offering  to  those  folks  who  can't  get  cars, 
trucks  and  tractors  to  Standard  Service  Men,  a  copy  of  "How  to  Service 
and  Lubricate  Wheel  Bearings."  By  following  this  clearly  written, 

fully  illustrated  booklet,  and  using 
|fI  Standard    RPM    Wheel   Bearing 

Hall   Barrel  MakeS  Grease  you'll  stay  on  the  safe  side, 

have  extra  insurance  against  ruin- 

Handy  Post  Dipper 

Digging  and  planting  fence  posts 
is  one  back-breaking  job  you  can 
put  off  for  years — simply  by 
stretching  the  life  of  your  fence 
posts  with  Standard  Wood  Pre- 
servative. With  the  handy  dipping 
vat  shown  here,  it  doesn't  take 
much  time  and  you're  assured  of 
a  job  that  really  lasts. 


SAW  OFF  THf  TOP  Of  A  WIHf-CASK 
OR    ANY  OTHER    LIQUID-PROOf 
WOODEN  BARREL 


LEVEL  OF  UOUID  SHOULD 
I  BE  ABOUT  ONE  FOOT  HIGHER 
J  THAK  GROVNO  LEWI,  OF  POST 


GROUND  LEVEL  OF  POST 


CAN  Bf  USED  FOR  DIPPING 
CRAPE  STAKES,  TREE  PROPS, 
BEAN  OR  HOP  POLES.ETC 


In  actual  service  tests,  posts 
treated  with  Standard  Wood  Pre- 
servative were  in  good  condition 
after  sixteen  years  of  exposure. 
Untreated  posts  were  severely  at- 
tacked by  rot  and  termites.  Keep 
Standard  Wood  Preservative  on 
hand — order  now. 


Awarded  to 

STANDARD  OF  CALIFORNIA 

Richmond  Refinery 


RPM  Wheel  Bearing  Grease 
won't  melt  at  high  temperatures 
and  sneak  into  your  brakes  —  or 
leave  bearings  high  and  dry !  Under 
all  conditions,  in  all  kinds  of 
weather,  it  feeds  smoothly  to  ALL 
bearing  surfaces.  And  it  sticks  to 
.its  job,  provides  a  stubborn  skin 
of  tough,  wear-resisting  grease 
that  won't  leave  bare  spots. 

Passenger  cars  need  wheel  bear- 
ing service  about  every  5,000  miles. 
Keep  a  can  of  RPM 
Wheel  Bearing  Grease 
handy.  Order  today — 
and  ask  your  Stand- 
ard Representative 
for  your  free  copy  of 
"How  to  Service  and 
Lubricate  Wheel 
Bearings." 


STANDARD 
OF    CALIFORNIA 


392 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Pioneer  BwiLaL, 

— mi 


E 


By  LISBETH  WALLIS 

ay  him  down  tenderly  under  the  willows, 

Dampen  the  warm  brown  earth  with  your  tears; 
Then  turn  your  face  again  to  the  prairie, 
Harden  your  heart  to  the  lonely  years. 


We  must  relinquish  him  to  this  wide  darkness, 

Push  toward  the  goal  again,  smiling  and  brave; 

The  willows  will  guard  him,  silent  and  weeping, 
No  one  will  know  that  they  shelter  his  grave. 

Lay  him  down  quietly  under  the  willows, 
Lay  him  down  gently,  gently,  and  then 

Run  away  quickly,  softly,  on  tiptoe—' 

We  cannot  come  back  to  the  willows  again. 


JULY,  1943 


Photograph   by 
Harry   Elmore   Hurd 


You've  had  your  share  of  worries  lately  .  .  .  what 
with  shortages  and  soaring  prices,  saving  'points' 

and  stretching  pennies  .  .  .  it's  a  full-time  job  just 

to  keep  your  family  clothed  and  fed. 

Then  there's  the  weekly  wash.  More  than  likely 
you're  doing  it  yourself.  And  now — the  last 

straw — you  can't  always  get  your  favorite 

laundry  soap! 

It's  hard  to  be  patient  about  these  things.  But— 
please  believe  that  the  makers  of  Fels-Naptha 
are  doing  everything  they  can  to  keep  you 
supplied.  Working  day  and  night 
at  it.  If  your  grocer  doesn't  have 
Fels-Naptha  Soap  in  stock  today — 
he  will  have  it  soon.  So 
please  keep  on  asking. 


FELS-NAPTHA  SOAP_banishesTattleTale  Gray" 

394 


JhsL 

•RELIGIOUS* 
ATTITUDE 

OF 

yioisucL  Tn&tL 

By  LEON  M.  STRONG 


'T'he  great  patriots  of  early  American 
history  were  almost  invariably  stu- 
dents of  the  Bible  and  religiously  in- 
clined. Patrick  Henry  in  those  stir- 
ring days,  in  making  his  memorable 
speech,  shouted:  "Men  may  cry  peace, 
peace,  but  there  is  no  peace."  This  he 
borrowed  from  the  prophet  Jeremiah.1 

When  it  came  time  to  inscribe  a  mot- 
to on  old  Liberty  Bell  the  patriots  used 
an  appropriate  verse  from  perhaps  the 
least  read  book  in  the  Bible: 

And  ye  shall  .  .  .  proclaim  liberty 
throughout  all  the  land  unto  all  the  in- 
habitants thereof:  it  shall  be  a  jubilee  unto 
you.2 

And  Abraham  Lincoln,  in  using  that 
trenchant  metaphor  "a  house  divided 
against  itself  cannot  stand,"  borrowed 
from  his  store  of  the  New  Testament.* 

It  is  wholesome  to  note  that  even  in 
the  cruel  pagan  days  of  ancient  Rome, 
some  of  the  leaders  were  not  unmindful 
of  the  existence  of  Deity.  Said  Jus- 
tinian, Emperor  of  Rome: 

We  should  live  honestly,  should  hurt  no- 
body, and  should  render  to  every  man  his 
due.  Who,  then,  art  thou,  vain  dust  and 
ashes!  By  whatever  name  thou  art  called, 
whether  a  king,  a  bishop,  a  church,  or 
state,  a  parliament  or  anything  else  that 
obtrudest  thine  insignificance  between  the 
soul  of  man  and  his  Maker,  mind  thine 
own  concerns  .•....* 

Columbus  acknowledges  divine  help 
in  preparing  him  for  the  tremendous 
task  he  accomplished,  according  to  one 
writer,  by  stating  it  thus: 

The  Lord  was  well  disposed  to  my  de- 
sire, and  He  bestowed  on  me  courage  and 
understanding;  knowledge  of  seafaring  He 
gave  me  in  abundance,  of  astrology  as 
much  as  was  needed,  and  of  geometry  and 
astronomy  likewise.  .  .  .5 

And  again,  in  writing  to  King  Ferdi- 
nand: 

I  came  to  your  Majesty  as  the  Emissary 
of  the  Holy  Trinity,  to  spread  the  Holy 
Faith,  for  God  speaks  clearly  enough  about 
these  lands  through  the  mouth  of  the 
Prophet  Isaiah,8  where  it  is  said  that  His 
name  shall  be  proclaimed  abroad  from 
Spain.7 

Jeremiah  6:14 

2Leviticus  25:10 

'Mark  3:25 

*A  Review  of  the  Decision  of  the  Supreme  Court, 
p.   19 

BJacob  Wasserman,  Columbus.  Little,  Brown  and 
Company,  Boston,  1930,  p.  19 

•Isaiah  24:16  and  65:17 

7Jacob  Wasserman,  op.  cit.,  p.  46 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


TKUHIFK 


"(fimApvrinjc^  TPIasl" 


By  PRESIDENT  HEBER  J.  GRANT 


IN  thinking  seriously  of  the  economic  condition 
of  the  world,  I  am  convinced,  without  doubt, 
that  a  revelation  in  the  book  of  Doctrine  and 
Covenants,  known  as  the  Word  of  Wisdom, 
given  by  the  Lord,  the  Creator  of  heaven  and 
earth,  to  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  over  one 
hundred  years  ago,  would  solve  the  economic 
problems  not  only  for  our  country  but  of  every 
other  country,  if  it  were  obeyed  by  the  people  of 
the  world. 

This  Word  of  Wisdom  teaches  the  Latter-day 
Saints  to  refrain  from  the  use  of  tea,  coffee,  to- 
bacco, and  liquor,  and  part  of  it  reads  as  follows: 

To  be  sent  greeting;  not  by  commandment  or  constraint, 
but  by  revelation  and  the  word  of  wisdom,  showing  forth 
the  order  and  will  of  God  in  the  temporal  salvation  of 
all  saints  in  the  last  days —  .  .  . 

Behold,  verily,  thus  saith  the  Lord  unto  you:  In  con- 
sequence of  evils  and  designs  which  do  and  will  exist 
in  the  hearts  of  conspiring  men  in  the  last  days,  I  have 
warned  you,  and  forewarn  you,  by  giving  unto  you  this 
word  of  wisdom  by  revelation —  ...  (D.  6  C.  89:2,  4.) 

Speaking  of  the  evil  designs  in  the  last  days, 
what  could  be  more  evil  and  designing  than  to 
show  in  advertisement  the  picture  of  a  beautiful 
woman  with  a  man,  and  the  man  smoking  cig- 
arets,  the  cigaret  smoke  making  an  engagement 
ring  for  eternity. 

And  all  saints  who  remember  to  keep  and  do  these  say- 
ings, walking  in  obedience  to  the  commandments,  shall 
receive  health  in  their  navel  and  marrow  to  their  bones;  .  . . 

And  shall  run  and  not  be  weary,  and  shall  walk  and 
not  faint. 

And  I,  the  Lord,  give  unto  them  a  promise,  that  the 
destroying  angel  shall  pass  by  them,  as  the  children  of 
Israel,  and  not  slay  them.  Amen.    (D.  &.  C.  89:18,  20-21.) 

I  recall  to  mind  a  lifelong  friend  of  mine,  who 
died  in  middle  age,  and  who  filled  a  good  mission 
in  Germany.  When  he  was  first  called  on  a 
mission  it  was  found  that  he  was  a  smoker  of 
cigarets,  and  the  officials  would  not  let  him  go, 
but  gave  him  time  in  which  to  reform  himself, 
and  he  did  reform.  He  went  to  Germany  on  a 
mission.  The  day  he  got  his  release  he  said, 
"Thank  fortune,  I  can  now  have  a  cigaret," 
and  so  he  bought  some  tobacco  and  rolled  a 
cigaret  to  celebrate  his  release,  and  he  came  home 
a  smoker. 

Smoking  led  to  drinking.  While  under  the 
influence  of  liquor,  he  lost  his  virtue  and  was  later 


excommunicated  from  the  Church.  As  I  stood 
at  his  grave,  I  looked  up  to  heaven  and  pledged 
the  best  that  was  in  me  to  fight  these  evils,  as  I 
thought  of  that  stalwart  young  man,  physically 
strong,  mentally  strong,  far  superior  to  me 
physically,  having  died  in  middle  age  an  addict 
to  these  things.  I  have  seen  smokers  with  their 
hands  shaking  whom  I  knew  when  they  were 
strong,  vigorous,  healthy  young  men. 

Another  of  my  boyhood  associates  filled  an 
early  grave  because  of  first  smoking  and  then 
drinking.  He  was  my  bosom  friend  in  child- 
hood. Again,  at  his  grave,  I  pledged  the  best 
that  was  in  me  to  fight  these  two  evils. 

No  greater  thing  was  ever  given  to  any  people 
for  their  physical  benefit  than  the  Word  of  Wis- 
dom, direct  from  God.  I  hear  some  men  who 
break  the  Word  of  Wisdom  say,  "Oh,  well,  it 
is  not  a  commandment;  it  is  only  by  persuasion, 
etc."  It  says  it  is  "the  order"  and  "the  will"  of 
the -Lord,  and  that  is  pretty  near  a  commandment, 
isn't  it?  What  else  does  it  say?  It  promises  that 
those  who  keep  the  Word1  of  Wisdom  shall  have 
hidden  treasures  of  knowledge.  Why  spend 
our  money  to  give  people  knowledge  when,  by 
the  use  of  tobacco  and  liquor,  they  have  ruined 
their  capacity  to  comprehend  it? 

Another  man  lost  his  high  standing  in  the 
Church  who  was  a  "hail  fellow  well  met."  I 
remember  one  of  the  great  financial  men  of 
America  saying  to  me  when  I  met  him — he  was 
a  dear  friend  of  this  man,  and  he  was  my  dear 
friend;  I  have  slept  in  his  beautiful  home  that 
must  have  cost  fully  a  hundred  and  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars — he  said,  "Well,  Heber,  I  am  not 
astonished  that  so  and  so  lost  his  standing." 

"Why  are  you  not  astonished?"  I  said. 

"Because  when  he  was  out  with  me  in  the 
mountains  fishing,  he  did  not  live  up  to  your 
teachings." 

No  man  respects  a  person  who  does  not  live 
up  to  what  he  preaches.  Talk  about  prestige. 
It  gives  any  man  prestige,  I  don't  care  who  he 
is,  to  stand  up  and  fight  for  what  he  thinks  is 
right,  and  no  man  is  respected  who  does  not  live 
up  to  his  ideals  and  principles.  The  "evil  design" 
implied  in  the  Word  of  Wisdom  as  it  was  given 
a  century  ago  has  become  only  too  apparent, 
and  we  must  resist  it,  individually,  and  as  a 
people. 


JULY,  1943 


395 


'  £Av-.t ...  JJul  fonce/ut, ofc. 


THE  CHURCH 


Recently  I  picked  up  a  national 
magazine  in  which  a  contributor, 
after  noting  the  muddled  state  of 
thought  about  the  needs  of  the  near  fu- 
ture of  the  world,  asserts: 

Our  need,  of  course,  if  we  are  to  have 
peace  after  the  war,  is  a  passion  for  human- 
ity and  for  the  interests  of  humanity  as 
predominant  over  all  lesser  interests  what- 
soever. 

Very  naturally  he  proceeds  from  that 
premise  to  this  conclusion: 

It  should  be  obvious,  after  what  we  saw 
in  the  last  war  and  what  we  are  already 
seeing  in  this  war,  that  peace  can  never 
come  out  of  war  itself.  If  it  comes  at  all, 
it  must  be  in  spite  of  the  war  and  not  be- 
cause of  it,  and  from  a  source  altogether 
remote  from  its  influence.  I  find  no  such 
source  except  in  religion  itself.  For  re- 
ligion has  this  passion  of  which  I  speak. 

That  statement  might  not  be  so  ar- 
resting if  it  stood  alone.  But  it  does  not. 
It  is  merely  typical  of  assertions  coming 
to  be  of  almost  daily  occurrence. 
Scarcely  do  we  pick  up  a  reputable 
magazine  nowadays  that  we  do  not  find 
in  it  somewhere  declaration  of  the  view 
that  in  the  precepts  of  religion  are  to  be 
found  the  principles  and  in  religion  itself 
is  to  be  found  the  spirit  upon  the  adop- 
tion and  practice  and  influence  of  which 
alone  the  hope  of  the  world  for  peace 
and  order  must  depend. 

This  poses  for  religion  a  tremendous 
task,  and  the  question  at  once  arises 
how  this  task  is  to  be  accomplished.  It 
means  that  somehow  religion  must 
come  to  have  a  dominating  influence  in 
shaping  the  policies  and  practices  of 
governments,  for,  of  course,  it  is  the  civil 
governments  which  control  in  the  wag- 
ing of  war  and  the  fashioning  of  peace. 
How  is  religion  to  get  in? 

There  is  another  manifest  implication 
in  the  premise,  namely,  that  religion  has 
not  been  performing  its  rightful  office, 
or  the  conditions  which  call  for  its  in- 
tervention would  not  obtain.  Does  it 
have  the  power  to  do  what  is  suggested 
and,  if  so,  why  has  that  power  not  been 
exercised? 

I  shall  have  in  mind  the  Christian  re- 
ligion as  I  proceed  to  consider  these 
questions. 

In  the  first  place,  if  religion  is  to  be 
a  potent  factor  in  shaping  the  condi- 
tions of  peace,  it  must  have  a  medium 
through  which  it  expresses  itself — a 
mechanism  of  implementation.  Of  itself 
it  is  a  spiritual  ideal.  But  as  a  passive 
ideal,  religion  is  of  little  value.  It  must 
carry  its  message;  it  must  get  itself  ac- 
cepted, for  it  comes  to  fruition  only  as 
its  precepts  come  to  dominate  the  lives 
and  actions  of  men  individually  and  in 

396 


By  ALBERT  E.  BOWEN 

Of  the  Council  o/  the  Twelve 

Delivered  at  the  Tuesday  morning  ses- 
sion of  the  \\3th  Annual  Conference, 
April  6,  1943,  in  the  Tabernacle 


their  collective  relationships.  To  be  ef- 
fective it  must  incorporate  itself  into 
an  organized  body.  That  body  is  the 
Church.  That  is  the  medium  through 
which  religion  has  implemented  itself 
in  any  civilization.  And  may  I  add  in 
passing  that  so  far  as  I  know,  no  civil- 
ization has  ever  developed  that  did  not 
rear  itself  upon  the  religion  of  the  peo- 
ple. 

If  then,  the  influence  of  religion  is,  as 
postulated,  the  only  source  of  hope  for 
a  world  of  peace,  and  if  religion  is  made 
effective  through  the  organized  body 
called  the  Church,  then  it  would  seem 
that  there  is  indicated  for  the  Church  a 
place  of  transcendent  importance  in  the 
shaping  of  the  future  of  the  nations. 
This  would  seem  to  demonstrate  the 
folly  of  saying  that  the  Church  has  no 
concern  with  the  civil  institutions  of  the 
day.  If  it  is  not  concerned  with  them, 
then  it  cannot  carry  into  them  the  in- 
fluence which  it  is  its  business  to  foster. 
Furthermore,  the  Church  lives  and  op- 
erates within  the  domain  of  civil  gov- 
ernments and  to  a  degree  under  their 
control.  Its  members  are  so  controlled. 
People  and  institutions,  too,  are  always 
influenced  and  modified  and  more  or 
less  molded  by  the  thought  and  feeling 
which  dominate  the  society  in  which 
they  live,  particularly  the  prescrip- 
tions of  governments.  We  are  caught 
up  and  held  in  the  web  of  their  prac- 
tices and  habits.  With  such  powerful 
agencies  in  the  shaping  of  our  lives  and 
affecting  its  own  destiny,  the  Church 
must  be  concerned.  I  am  not  unmind- 
ful of  the  fact  that  manv  people  profess 
the  conviction  that  no  Church  is  neces- 
sary; that  religion  is  a  thing  of  the  snirit 
affecting  the  inner  life  of  the  individual; 
and  that  it  has  nothing  to  do  with  the 
affairs  of  the  political  society  common- 
ly spoken  of  as  the  state. 

That  objection  is  not  so  formidable 
as  it  sounds.  So  is  democracy  a  thing 
of  the  spirit.  It  does  not  consist  in 
frameworks  such  as  constitutions  and 
presidents  and  legislatures  and  statutes 
and  judicial  bodies  and  enforcement  of- 
ficers. You  may  have  all  these  com- 
pletely democratic  in  form  and  not  have 
a  democracy  at  all.  But  no  one  would 
argue  from  this  that  you  could  have  a 


ALBERT  E.   BOWEN 

living  democracy  without  them.  The 
essence  of  democracy — its  spirit — is  by 
itself  an  intangible  ideal,  inert  and  un- 
fruitful, even  though  it  burn  in  the 
hearts  of  individual  men.  Put  that  flam- 
ing spirit,  that  throbbing,  pulsating  ideal 
into  a  mechanical  organization  compris- 
ing a  constitution  which  defines  the 
limitations  on  the  powers  of  govern- 
ment; write  into  it  a  bill  of  rights  which 
protects  the  individual  against  invasion 
of  his  guaranteed  privileges  by  govern- 
mental authority;  let  it  provide  for  the 
making  of  laws  to  which  all  agree  to 
render  obedience;  give  it  an  executive 
authority  to  carry  those  laws  into  ef- 
fect; set  up  a  tribunal  to  interpret  the 
laws  and  resolve  disputes  between  man 
and  man  and  between  citizen  and  gov- 
ernment, and  it  will  carry  a  nation 
triumphant  from  a  narrow  fringe  on  the 
seashore  across  six  thousand  miles  of 
continent,  plant  towns  and  cities  by  the 
way,  set  up  in  them  local  governments 
by  consent,  establish  schools,  rear  in- 
dustries, subdue  the  earth  and  give  to 
one  hundred  million  people  more  of 
creature  comfort,  more  of  individual 
self-respect,  more  of  the  recognition  of 
human  dignity,  more  independence  of 
action  and  consequent  self-reliance, 
more  liberty  of  thought  and  freedom  of 
action  than  were  ever  before  known  to 
any  people  during  the  period  of  record- 
ed history. 

As  the  political  framework  is  to  the 
spirit  which  is  democracy,  so  the 
Church  is  to  religion. 

(Continued  on  page  437) 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


HEARING 


the  Voice 


*i"T  said  to  the  man  who  stood  at  the 
gate  of  the  year,  'Give  me  a  light 

J-  that  I  may  tread  safely  into  the 
unknown,'  and  he  replied,  'Go  out  into 
the  darkness,  and  put  your  hand  in  the 
hand  of  God.  That  shall  be  to  you 
better  than  a  light,  and  safer  than  the 
known  way.'  " 

Those  words  were  quoted  by  the 
King  of  England  in  an  Empire  Broad- 
cast shortly  after  Great  Britain  entered 
the  present  world  conflict.  I  presume 
the  thought  that  he  intended  to  convey 
to  his  subjects  was  that  they  should 
humble  themselves  and  in  supplication 
and  in  faith  approach  their  Heavenly 
Father  for  divine  guidance  and  His  pro- 
tection. And  it  was  well  that  they  be 
so  counseled,  for  our  Heavenly  Father 
is  concerned  about  all  His  children  and 
desires  that  they  "...  believe  that  he  is, 
and  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that 
diligently  seek  him"  (Hebrews  11:6). 

To  the  Latter-day  Saints  in  this 
troublous  day,  when  the  perils  of  the 
earth  are  round  about  us,  it  is  well  that 
we  take  stock  as  to  how  we  may  ap- 
proach Him  and  what  may  be  our  bless- 
ings. The  Savior  Himself  spoke  of  the 
Comforter,  which  He  said  would  guide 
into  all  truth,  would  bring  all  things  to 
our  remembrance,  would  show  us 
things  to  come,  and  would  teach  us  all 
things  whatsoever  the  Lord  our  God 
had  commanded.  But  there  was  an- 
other thing  that  has  been  spoken  of  by 
the  scriptures,  another  guiding  light 
that  I  should  like  to  call  to  the  attention 
of  the  Latter-day  Saints  at  this  time. 
The  Savior  enunciated  this  principle  in 
the  beautiful  parable  in  which  He  spoke 
of  Himself  as  the  shepherd,  the  sheep- 
fold  as  His  kingdom,  and  the  sheep  as 
His  people.    These  were  His  words: 

.  .  .  and  the  sheep  hear  his  voice:  and  he 
calleth  his  own  sheep  bv  name,  and  he 
leadeth  them  out. 

And  when  he  putteth  forth  his  own  sheep, 
he  goeth  before  them,  and  the  sheep  follow 
him:  for  they  know  his  voice.  (John  10:3, 
4) 

The  Apostle  Paul  said: 

There  are,  it  may  be,  so  many  kinds  of 
voices  in  the  world,  .  .  . 

Therefore  if  I  know  not  the  meaning  of 
the  voice,  I  shall  be  unto  him  that  speaketh 
a  barbarian,  and  he  that  speaketh  shall  be 
a  barbarian  unto  me.  (I  Corinthians  14:10, 
ID 

So  we  may  in  this  day  distinguish 
among  the  babble  of  voices  that  are  to 
be  heard  on  every  side,  the  voice  of 
the  true  shepherd,  that  we  be  not  found 
to  be  barbarians  in  the  day  of  our  need 
for  direction  and  guidance.  The  Apostle 
Peter  declared  that  way  when  he  said: 

We  have  also  a  more  sure  word  of 
prophecy;   whereunto  ye  do  well  that  ye 

JULY,  1943 


Delivered  at  the  Tuesday  morning  ses- 
sion of  the  113th  Annual  Conference, 
April  6,  1943,  in  the  Tabernacle 


take  heed,  as  unto  a  light  that  shineth  in 
a  dark  place,  until  the  day  dawn,  and  the 
day  star  arise  in  your  hearts: 

Knowing  this  first,  that  no  prophecy  of 
the  scripture  is  of  any  private  interpreta- 
tion. 

For  the  prophecy  came  not  in  old  time 
by  the  will  of  man:  but  holy  men  of  God 
spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.    (II  Peter  1:19-21) 

This  thought  agrees  in  substance  with 
that  declared  by  the  prophet  Amos, 
when  he  said: 

Surely  the  Lord  God  will  do  nothing,  but 
he  revealeth  his  secret  unto  his  servants  the 
prophets.   (Amos  3:7) 

Those  secrets  have  been  revealed  in 
this  day,  when  in  our  generation  the 
Lord  to  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  said: 

Wherefore,  I  the  Lord,  knowing  the 
calamity  which  should  come  upon  the  in- 
habitants of  the  earth,  called  upon  my 
servant  Joseph  Smith,  Jun.,  and  spake  unto 
him  from  heaven,  and  gave  him  command- 
ments ...  (D.  6  C.  1:17) 

Just  as  the  Prophet  Joseph  was 
called,  so  have  been  called  Brigham 
Young  and  every  one  who  has  presided 
in  the  Presidency  of  this  Church,  down 
to  President  Grant,  President  Clark, 
and  President  McKay,  who  today  oc- 
cupy the  high  place  as  the  mouthpieces 
of  God  in  directing  this  people. 

We  as  a  people  seem  to  be  willing  to 
accept  many  of  the  ancient  prophecies 
as  having  been  literally  fulfilled,  but 
when  we  see  prophecies  fulfilled  in  our 
own  day  we  are  prone  to  question  and 
to  express  some  doubts.  As  the  Master 
said,  "...  A  prophet  is  not  without  hon- 
our, but  in  his  own  country,  ..."  (Mark 
6:4)  and  he  might  have  added,  "Save 
in  his  own  time." 

I  should  like  to  bring  to  you  some 
observations  for  just  a  few  moments. 
Today  I  am  in  a  reflective  mood  because 
we  at  this  conference  are  celebrating 
the  seventh  anniversary  of  the  inaugura- 
tion of  what  has  been  styled  the  Church 
Welfare  program.  Coming  on  a  train 
from  the  east  last  fall,  I  read  from  an 
editorial  in  the  Chicago  Tribune  where- 
in editors  were  commenting  upon  an 
article  that  had  been  written  by  a  prom- 
inent educator  in  the  School  Review, 
a  publication  of  the  Department  of 
Education  of  the  University  of  Chicago. 
This  educator's  statement  in  that  Re~ 
view  was  a  very  doleful  picture  of  what 
was  to  happen  to  us  after  the  present 
World  War  had  finished.  He  spoke 
of  the  loss  of  world  markets,  the  diffi- 


By  HAROLD  B.  LEE 

Of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve 


HAROLD  B.  LEE 

culties  in  finding  adjustments  for  the 
millions  who  had  been  thrown  out  into 
war  industries,  and  for  the  returning 
millions  of  our  boys  from  the  armed 
services.  He  spoke  of  the  desperation, 
the  frustration,  and  the  futility  of  many 
of  those  thus  found  in  the  toils  of  that 
readjustment  period.  And  then  he  said, 
"The  only  vocational  group  which  will 
not  immediately  suffer  are  the  farmers; 
they  can  raise  what  they  need."  Then 
he  suggested  that  we  need  prepare  for 
what  was  in  store  by  teaching  farming 
as  a  compulsory  subject,  to  get  hold  of 
a  piece  of  land,  that  those  provided  with 
farming  skill  should  be  able  thereby  to 
keep  the  "wolf"  from  the  door.  And  so 
he  goes  on. 

That  set  me  thinking,  because  the 
voice  of  the  Lord  was  declared  back  in 
1894,  in  October  of  that  year,  by  that 
man  whom  we  sustained  then  as  the 
prophet,  seer,  and  revelator  unto  this 
Church.    He  said: 

So  far  as  temporal  matters  are  concerned 
we  must  go  to  work  to  provide  for  our- 
selves. The  day  will  come,  as  we  have  all 
been  told,  that  we  shall  see  the  necessity  of 
making  our  own  shoes  and  our  own  cloth- 
ing, and  providing  our  own  foodstuffs,  and 
uniting  together  to  carry  out  the  purposes 
of  the  Lord.  We  will  be  preserved  in  the 
mountains  of  Israel  in  the  days  of  God's 
judgments.  I  therefore  say  unto  you,  my 
brethren  and  sisters,  prepare  for  that  which 
is  to  come,  (Wilford  Woodruff — Weber 
Stake,  October  8,  1894.) 

(Continued  on  page  444) 

397 


ELIZA  R. 
SNOW 


?;;■ : 


PartV 
At  Winter  Quarters1 — 1 846 

About  this  time  a  circumstance  oc- 
cur'd  which  I  would  forbear  to  mention, 
but  having  omitted  some  of  a  similar 
nature  to  which  I  have  at  times  wish'd 
to  refer,  I  will  take  notice  of  it. 

Without  attempting  to  describe  the 
cause,  one  night,  probably  after  many 
of  the  Camp  had  retired — tho'  it  could 
not  have  been  late  in  the  eve.  for  Sis. 
Mfarkham]  was  very  feeble  at  the  time 
(which  circumstance  would  have  pre- 
vented an  untimely  exposure  to  the 
night  air)  a  conversation  took  place 
between  Col.  M[arkham]  &  his  wife 
of  a-  most  disgraceful  nature;  and  the 
loud  &  fervent  tones  in  which  it  was 

1While  Eliza  R,  Snow  was  there,  during  the  winter 
of  1846-47,  about  4,000'  Latter-day  Saints  were  so- 
journing at  Winter  Quarters.  They  had  built  about 
600  log  houses,  85  made  of  sod,  and  others  were 
dugouts  in  hillsides;  some  even  lived  in  wagons. 

Helen  Mar  Whitney  wrote:  "I  never  knew  Sister 
Eliza  intimately  until  we  arrived  at  Winter  Quarters. 
There  I  made  her  acquaintance  under  peculiar  and 
trying  circumstances.  She  was  lying  sick  with  a  fever 
in  a  poorly  covered  wagon,  with  the  blazing  sun  beat- 
ing down  upon  it.  Many  more  were  in  a  similar 
condition  and  had  no  other  shelter,  until  after  the 
heavy  rains  were  on  us  and  the  nights  had  become 
cold  and  frosty,  but  in  the  midst  of  these  trials,  with 
trusting  faith  in  the  Almighty,  the  Saints  were  sus- 
tained and  comforted.  His  power  was  made  manifest 
many  times  to  our  perfect  astonishment.  Before  leaving 
Winter  Quarters  Eliza  was  able  to  go  around  and 
administer  to  her  sisters  in  affliction;  she  comforted 
those  who  stood  in  need.  Her  words  dropped  like 
refreshing  dews  from  the  heavens,  like  manna,  when 
most  needed,  reviving  and  giving  new  hope  to  the 
weary  and  hungry  soul." 


COTTONWOOD  TREE 

SAID  TO  HAVE  BEEN 
PLANTED  BY  BR1GHAM 
YOUNG  WHILE  AT  WIN- 
TER QUARTERS— NOW 
FLORENCE,   NEBRASKA. 


uttered  must  have  made  it  quite  public 
thro'out  the  Camp.  Revenge  &  re- 
taliation seem'd  the  ruling  spirits  of 
each,  &  the  pow'rs  of  darkness  seem'd 
holding  a  jubilee  around  us. 

About  the  8th  of  Sept.  br.  M  [ark- 
ham]    mov'd  his  &  Warren's  wagons 


MISSOURI   RIVER  CROSSING 

The  first  of  the  Pioneers  arrived  at  the  Missouri 
River  on  June  14.  A  week  later  President  Brigham 
Young  ordered  the  building  of  a  large  ferry  boat, 
the  planks  for  which  came  from  an  Indian  saw  mill; 
twenty-one  men  were  required  to  launch  it.  Only 
three  wagons  could  be  taken  across  at  a  time.  The 
process  was  so  slow  that  many  preferred  to  risk  the 
dangers  of  fording. 

Col.  Thomas  L.  Kane  describes  the  scene:  "The 
flat-bottomed  scow  plied,  crowded  with  wagons, 
cows,  sheep  and  children  and  furniture  of  the  emi- 
grants. No  less  than  30,000  cattle  were  on  the 
way.  They  had  to  swim  the  mile  and  a  half  wide 
river,  its  fierce  current  rushing,  gurgling  and  eddy- 
ing. As  they  were  forced  into  the  water  and  about 
to  be  carried  down  stream  by  the  swift  current,  a 
fearless  youngster,  climbing  upon  some  brave  bull 
in  the  front  rank,  urged  him  boldly  forth  into  the 
stream;  the  rest  followed  until  they  landed  on  the 
opposite  shore.  I  have  seen  youths,  in  stepping 
from  hack  to  back  of  the  struggling  monsters,  or 
swimming  in  among  their  battling  hoofs,  display 
feats  of  great  bravery;  yet  I  never  heard  an  oath  or 
the  language  of  quarrel." 


39& 


some  40  or  50  rods  to  a  creek,  leaving 
Margaret  &  Olive  with  the  camp. 

Here  B[righa]m  call'd  to  see  [me] 
for  the  second  time  since  our  arrival. 
My  health  continued  very  ill  with  little 
improvement. 

Sunday,  September  20.  An  alarm 
was  given  thro'out  the  Camp  in  con- 
sequence of  a  rumor  that  a  mob  was 
crossing  the  river  to  molest  us  during 
the  night. 

Tuesday,  September  22.  We  mov'd 
near  the  river,  it  having  been  counsel'd 
for  the  Camp  to  be  in  more  compact 
order  for  the  general  safety — which 
place  being  appointed  for  our  winter- 
quarters.  Our  place  in  Heber's  Divi- 
sion. 

October.  About  the  22nd  of  this 
month,  Sisfter]  Mfarkham]  invited 
Heber  &  wife,  Sis.  W.  6  father  [John 
Smith]  &  mother  Smith  to  sup  on  a 
splendid  pot  pie  made  of  veal  &c, 
when  Father  S[mith]  reminded  me  of 
an  old  promise  to  write  for  him.  I  was 
not  able  to  write,  but  thro'  the  blessing 
of  God,  in  a  few  days  after  I  wrote  the 
following : 

To  The  Patriarch,  Father  John  Smith 

Great  glory  awaits  thee,  thou  father  in  Israel 
To  reward  all  thy  toils  thy  labors  of  love; 

The  angels  that  guard  thee — that  watch  o'er 
thy  pathway 
Are  proud  to  report  thee  in  councils  above. 

[4  verses  follow] 

Wednesday,  October  28.  A  com- 
[pany]  of  15  start  with  teams  for  St. 
Joseph  after  the  goods  which  Bishop 
W[hitney]  &  E[dwin]  D.  Woolley 
brought  up  from  St.  Louis.  Whiting  be- 
ing one  to  go  we  were  under  the  neces- 
sity of  going  from  the  wagon  that  he 
might  take  it.  The  day  was  very  cold  & 
blustering — the  house  into  which  we 
mov'd  was  partly  chink'd  &  only  mud- 
( Continued  on  page  434 ) 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


the  $jctJtden&L 


™<i-tfo  CURRANT  BUSH 


By  HUGH  B.  BROWN 

Coordinator  of  Latter-day  Saints 
in  the  Service 


In  the  early  dawn,  a  young  gardener 
was  pruning  his  trees  and  shrubs. 
He  had  one  choice  currant  bush 
which,  though  growing  fast,  had  gone 
too  much  to  wood.  He  feared  there- 
fore that  it  would  produce  little,  if  any, 
fruit. 

Accordingly,  he  trimmed  and  pruned 
the  bush  and  cut  it  back.  In  fact,  when 
he  had  finished,  there  was  little  left 
but  stumps  and  roots. 

Tenderly  he  considered  what  was 
left.  It  looked  so  sad  and  deeply  hurt. 
On  every  stump  there  was  a  tear  where 
the  pruning  knife  had  cut  away  the 
growth  of  early  spring.  The  poor  bush 
seemed,  tearfully,  to  speak  to  him,  and 
he  thought  he  heard  it  say: 

"Oh,  how  could  you  be  so  cruel  to 
me,  you  who  claim  to  be  my  friend,  who 
planted  me  and  cared  for  me  when  I 
was  young,  and  nurtured  and  encour- 
aged me  to  grow?  Could  you  not  see 
that  I  was  rapidly  responding  to  your 
care?  I  was  nearly  half  as  large  as  the 
trees  across  the  fence,  and  might  soon 
have  become  like  one  of  them.  But 
now  you've  cut  my  branches  back;  the 
green,  attractive  leaves  are  gone,  and 
I  am  in  disgrace  among  my  fellows." 

The  young  gardener  looked  at  the 
weeping  bush  and  heard  its  plea  with 
sympathetic  understanding.  His  voice 
was  full  of  kindness  as  he  said,  "What 
I  have  done  to  you  was  necessary  that 
you  might  fulfill  your  destiny.  You  were 
not  intended  to  give  shade  or  shelter 
l>y  your  branches.  My  purpose  when 
I  planted  you  was  that  you  should  bear 
fruit.  When  I  want  currants,  a  tree, 
regardless  of  its  size,  cannot  supply 
the  need. 

"No,  my  little  currant  bush,  if  I  had 
allowed  you  to  continue  to  grow  as 
you  had  started,  all  your  strength  would 
have  gone  to  wood;  your  roots  would 
not  have  gained  a  firm  hold,  and  the 
purpose  for  which  I  brought  you  into 
my  garden  would  have  been  defeated. 

JULY,  1943 


Your  place  would  have  been  taken  by 
another,  for  you  would  have  been  bar- 
ren and  I  would  have  lost  you  from 
my  garden.  You  must  not  weep;  all 
this  will  be  for  your  good;  and  some 
day,  when  you  see  more  clearly,  when 
you  are  richly  laden  with  fruit,  you  will 
thank  me  and  say,  'Surely,  he  was  a 
wise  and  loving  gardener.  He  knew 
the  purpose  of  my  being,  and  I  thank 
him  now  for  what  I  then  thought  was 
cruelty.'  " 

T^EN  years  later,  this  young  gardener 
was  in  a  foreign  land,  and  he  him- 
self was  growing.  He  was  proud  of  his 
position  and  ambitious  for  the  future. 
His  companions  were  popular  and  hon- 
ored men.  To  be  with  them  gave  him 
hope  and  expectation  and  desire. 

One  day  an  unexpected  vacancy  en- 
titled him  to  promotion.  The  goal  to 
which  he  had  aspired  was  now  almost 
within  his  grasp,  and  he  was  proud  of 
the  rapid  progress  he  was  making. 

But  for  some  reason  unknown  to  him, 
another  was  appointed  in  his  stead,  and 
he  was  asked  to  take  another  post  rel- 
atively unimportant  which  under  the 
circumstances  caused  his  friends  to 
feel  that  he  had  failed. 

The  young  man  staggered  to  his  room 


■  ♦  ■ 


MY  WISH 
By  Mabel  Jones  Gabbott 

Had  I  one  wish  to  claim  as  mine, 
And  knew  that  life  would  not  refuse, 
I  fancy  now  what  it  would  be, 
Nor  do  I  hesitate  to  choose. 

Of  friends,  I'd  earn  a  lasting  few, 
To  share  my  hopes,  and  dreams,  and  fears, 
With  whom  to  talk  or  laugh  or  muse, 
And  one  alone  to  see  my  tears. 

I  would  not  waste  my  wish  on  love, 
For  love  must  claim  me  as  its  own; 
And  rather  than  to  wish  it  here, 
I'd  walk  my  weary  way  alone. 

But  this — this  precious  thing — I  wish: 
A  heart  with  all  the  world  at  peace, 
That  knows  no  fears  or  vain  regrets, 
In  which  all  envy  finds  surcease; 

A  heart  that  beats  with  sympathy 
For  all  mankind  and  all  its  woes 
And  one  that  smiles  and  often  laughs 
And  cheers  the  world  as  on  it  goes. 

Had  I  one  wish,  ah,  this  were  it, 

And  I  would  count  it  true  and  right: 

A  heart  at  peace  to  guide  my  days, 

And  bless  my  sleep   throughout  the  night. 


and  knelt  beside  his  bed  and  wept.  He 
knew  now  that  he  could  never  hope  to 
have  what  he  had  thought  was  so  de- 
sirable. He  cried  to  God  and  said,  "Oh, 
how  could  you  be  so  cruel  to  me?  You 
who  claim  to  be  my  friend.  You  who 
brought  me  here  and  nurtured  and  en- 
couraged me  to  grow.  Could  you  not 
see  that  I  was  almost  equal  to  the  other 
men  whom  I  have  so  long  admired?  But 
now  I  have  been  cut  down.  I  am  in 
disgrace  among  my  fellows.  Oh,  how 
could  you  do  this  to  me?" 

He  was  humiliated  and  chagrined  and 
a  drop  of  bitterness  was  in  his  heart, 
when  he  seemed  to  hear  an  echo  from 
the  past.  In  familiar  words,  memory 
whispered : 

"I'm  the  gardener  here." 

He  caught  his  breath — the  currant 
bush!  But  why  should  that  long-for- 
gotten incident  come  to  him  in  the  midst 
of  his  hour  of  tragedy?  And  memory 
answered  with  words  which  he  himself 
had  spoken: 

"If  I  had  allowed  you  to  continue  to 
grow  as  you  had  started,  the  purpose 
for  which  I  brought  you  into  my  gar- 
den would  have  been  defeated.  .  .  .  You 
must  not  weep;  all  this  will  be  for  your 
good,  and  some  day,  when  you  see 
more  clearly,  you  will  thank  me  and 
say,  'Surely,  he  was  a  wise  and  loving 
gardener.  He  knew  the  purpose  of  my 
being,  and  I  thank  him  now  for  what  I 
then  thought  was  cruelty.'  " 

There  was  no  bitterness  in  the  young 
man's  heart  as  he  humbly  spoke  again 
to  God  and  said,  "I  know  You  now. 
You  are  the  gardener,  and  /  the  currant 
bush.  Help  me,  dear  God,  to  endure 
the  pruning,  and  to  grow  as  You  would 
have  me  grow;  to  take  my  allotted  place 
in  life  and  ever  more  to  say,  'Thy  will 
be  done.'  " 

So  was  it  spoken  in  that  other  garden 
called  Gethsemane.  The  Father  knew 
the  mission  of  the  One  who  suffered 
there  and  knew,  too,  that  Gethsemane 
would  lead  to  Calvary.  But  with  divine 
omniscience  He  also  knew  that  Calvary 
would  lead  to  the  Throne  of  God. 

The  Gardener  permitted  the  suffering 
because  He  knew  the  end  from  the  be- 
ginning. He  heard  the  cry  to  "let  it 
pass,"  a  cry  which  is  wrung  from  each 
one  sometime  in  life.  All  who  will  add 
to  that  cry  the  humble  words:  "Thy 
will,  not  mine,"  will  realize  the  abund- 
ant life  which  was  promised  by  ,  the 
Master. 

399 


Brigham  Young 


THE     OLD     HOTEL     AT 
MENDON     AS     IT     AP- 
PEARS TODAY 


Brigham  had  been  in  Mendon  about 
one  year  when  strange  rumors  began 
to  float  over  the  countryside.  These 
rumors  were  to  the  effect  that  at  Palmy- 
ra, twenty  miles  eastward,  a  young  man 
named  Joseph  Smith  had  found  a 
"Golden  Bible"  in  a  hill  near  Palmyra, 


7TBOUT  twenty  miles  southwest  of 
ZA  Palmyra,  New  York,  in  the  rolling 
•L  *  hills  of  Monroe  County,  is  the  lit- 
tle village  of  Mendon.  It  is  a  very  quiet, 
old-looking  town,  the  intersection  of 
two  roads  forming  the  business  district, 
in  which  may  be  found  perhaps  a  half 
dozen  time-ravaged  brick  and  frame 
buildings.  The  atmosphere  of  the  place 
is  that  of  a  village  slumbering,  waiting 
for  final  decay  and  ruin. 

About  a  mile,  or  a  mile  and  a  half  to 
the  west  of  Mendon  is  a  modern-look- 
ing, well-kept  farm,  owned  by  two 
brothers  named  Hutchinson.  They  will 
tell  you  that  part  of  their  farm,  on 
which  one  of  the  houses  is  built,  was 
owned  more  than  a  century  ago  by  a 
man  named  Brigham  Young.  Tradition 
has  it,  they  will  tell  you,  that  he  was 
the  builder  of  the  house  which  stands 
before  you,  and  that  "yonder"  in  the 
southwest  part  of  the  field,  by  a  small 
stream,  he  erected  a  water-wheel  and 
a  small  brick  carpenter  shop,  where  he 
made  chairs  and  tables  and  other  ar- 
ticles of  furniture,  to  be  sold  to  the 
farmer-folk  about  the  countryside.  The 
father  of  the  Hutchinson  brothers, 
while  plowing  in  his  field  some  years 
ago,  turned  up  a  brick  on  the  site  of 
the  carpenter  shop,  on  which  had  been 
cut,  evidently  before  it  was  burned,  the 
initials  B.Y.  The  brother  who  talked 
to  us  had  saved  that  brick  for  several 
years.  While  we  waited,  he  hunted  for 
it  in  his  woodshed,  but  was  unable,  after 
diligent  searching,  to  find  it. 

Other  than  this  farm  and  house  and 
mill  site,  there  is  no  visible  evidence 
that  the  man  Brigham  Young  once  lived 
and  labored  in  this  quiet  village.  We 
shall  have  to  turn  to  the  old  histories  to 
find  a  record  of  his  residence  here. 

Brigham  Young  himself  has  left  us 
little  of  his  early  history.  He  was  not 
a  man  to  look  backward;  he  looked 
forward.  What  was  before  him  was 
always  the  thing  of  immediate  concern. 
However,  after  he  came  to  Utah,  some- 
one did  convince  him  that  he  should 
dictate  an  account  of  his  life,  and  in 
400 


1863  there  was  published  in  the  Mil- 
lennial Star,  a  brief,  crisp,  but  accurate 
autobiography  of  the  man,  titled  "His- 
tory of  Brigham  Young."  I  have  turned 
to  this  account  for  further  information 
regarding  his  life  and  activities  at 
Mendon. 

"Drigham  was  twenty-eight  years  of 
age  when  he  came  to  this  quiet  vil- 
lage; he  was  married  and  the  father  of 
a  little  daughter,  Elizabeth,  aged  four. 
For  a  number  of  years  he  had  lived  at 
Port  Byron,  on  the  Erie  Canal.  Here 
he  had  married  Miriam  Works.  If  you 
go  to  Port  Byron  today,  the  little  house 
he  built  there  will  be  shown  you — just 
off  the  main  street,  now  neglected  and 
unoccupied. 

Why  Brigham  decided  to  leave  this 
home  and  journey  to  Mendon,  fifty-five 
miles  west,  I  cannot  say,  nor  does  he 
anywhere  inform  us,  except  to  state 
that  his  father  resided  there.  After  some 
searching  I  have  found  that  most  of  his 
brothers  and  sisters  were  also  residents 
of  Mendon  and  vicinity.  We  believe 
that  when  he  arrived  in  Mendon,  he 
acquired  a  small  tract  of  land  and  set 
up  a  carpenter  shop,  as  related  in  the 
opening  paragraphs. 


BRIGHAM  YOUNG'S  FIRST  HOME  IN   PORT  BY- 
RON AFTER  HIS  MARRIAGE  TO  MIRIAM  WORKS 


and  that  he  had  translated  the  ancient 
record  and  had  published  the  same  in 
book  form.  The  book  was  known  as 
The  Book  of  Mormon.  A  few  weeks 
after  the  rumors  began  to  circulate,  a 
Book  of  Mormon  came  into  Brigham  s 
hands.  Samuel  Smith,  younger  brother 
of  the  Prophet,  had  been  sent  out  by 
Joseph  to  circulate  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon in  the  countryside  about  Palmyra. 
At  the  town  of  Victor,  he  had  sold  a 
copy  to  Phinehas  Young,  Brigham 
Young's  brother.  It  was  this  book 
which  first  introduced  Mormonism  to 
Brigham.  As  he  read  it,  he  pondered 
upon  its  teachings.  Phinehas  relates 
that  "about  this  time,  my  brother,  Brig- 
ham, came  to  see  me,  and  very  soon 
told  me  that  he  was  convinced  that 
there  was  something  in  Mormonism." 
Little  did  he  know  what  it  would  even- 
tually mean  to  him. 

On  the  first  of  June,  1830,  a  second 
daughter,  named  Vilate,  was  born  to 
Brigham  and  Miriam  at  Mendon.  This 
must  have  been  a  happy  occasion,  as  the 
child  arrived  on  Brigham's  twenty- 
ninth  birthday. 

From  this  time  until  the  autumn  of  the 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


in  mwclotL,  Tkw  y&dc 


By  PRESTON  NIBLEY 


following  year,  1831,  we  have  no  in- 
formation regarding  Brigham's  activi- 
ties. We  know  that  he  was  a  depend- 
able man;  diligent  and  faithful  in  his 
business;  prompt  in  his  appointments; 
reliable  and  trustworthy;  a  man  whose 
word  was  as  good  as  his  bond;  a  man 
capable  of  doing  a  great  work  in  the 
world,  should  he  be  given  the  opportu- 
nity. The  opportunity  came  to  him 
suddenly,  in  unexpected  manner.  He 
relates  it  as  follows : 

In  the  fall  of  1831,  Elders  Alpheus  Gif- 
ford,  Elial  Strong,  and  others,  came  to 
Mendon  to  preach  the  everlasting  gospel, 
as  revealed  to  Joseph  Smith  the  Prophet, 
which  I  heard  and  believed. 

He  heard  and  he  believed!  He  found 
out  now  that  there  was  other  and  more 
important  work  for  him  to  do  in  the 
world  than  to  make  chairs  and  tables 
for  the  country-folk  about  Mendon.  He 
could  leave  that  to  someone  else,  and 
spend  his  time  working  at  a  higher 
task,  building  up  the  Church  and  king- 
dom of  God. 


After  a  winter  trip  to  Columbia, 
**  Pennsylvania,  where  he  visited 
with  the  elders  who  had  brought  the 
gospel  to  him,  Brigham  was  ready  for 
baptism.    He  tells  us : 

...  on  April  14,  1832,  I  was  baptized  by 
Eleazer   Miller,   who   confirmed   me  at  the 


I  was  at  Brother  Kimball's  house  one 
morning,  and  while  family  prayer  was  be- 
ing offered  up,  Brother  Alpheus  Gifford 
commenced  speaking  in  tongues.  Soon  the 
spirit  came  on  me,  and  I  spoke  in  tongues, 
and  we  thought  only  of  the  day  of  Pente- 
cost, when  the  Apostles  were  clothed  upon 
with  cloven  tongues  of  fire. 

The  experience  of  speaking  in 
tongues,  an  unusual  thing  to  happen  to 
a  strong,  practical-minded  carpenter, 
was  overwhelming  testimony  to  him 
that  he  was  engaged  in  the  work  of  the 
Lord.  From  this  time  on  until  his 
death  more  than  forty-five  years  later, 
he  gave  his  time,  his  energy  and  his 
splendid  ability  to  the  advancement  of 
his  chosen  cause. 

There  was  great  joy  in  this  man's 
life  while  he  resided  in  Mendon;  there 
were  also  deep  sorrow  and  bitter  tears. 
The  fatal  malady  of  "consumption"  had 
seized  upon  his  wife,  Miriam,  and  in 
the  fall  of  1 832  she  was  taken  from  him 
in  death.  Of  the  details  of  her  funeral 
and  burial  we  have  no  word  from  any 
source.  A  few  months  ago  Brother  John 
Giles  and  I  searched  in  vain  through 
the  little  cemetery  at  Mendon  for 
Miriam's  grave. 

Perhaps  it  was  to  turn  his  mind  from 
the  loss  of  his  wife  that  Brigham  set 
out,  a  few  weeks  after  Miriam's  death, 
on  a  journey  of  250  miles  to  visit  the 
Prophet    Joseph     Smith    in    Kirtland, 


"BRIGHAM     YOUNG 
LIVED    HERE" 

John  D.  Giles,  di- 
rector of  the  Bureau 
of  Information  at  the 
Hill  Cumorah,  Palmy- 
ra, and  Mrs.  Giles,  by 
the  sign  at  Port  By- 
ron which  directs  the 
visitor  to  Brigham 
Young's  house. 


water's  edge.  We  returned  home  about 
two  miles,  the  weather  being  cold  and 
snowy,  and  before  my  clothes  were  dry  on 
my  back  he  laid  his  hands  on  me  and  or- 
dained me  an  elder,  at  which  I  marveled. 

A  few  weeks  after  Brigham's  bap- 
tism, there  came  to  him  this  additional, 
marvelous  witness  of  the  Spirit : 

JULY,  1943 


Ohio.  He  had  never  seen  the  Prophet, 
yet  he  had  accepted  his  teachings  fully 
and  completely.  His  own  account  of 
this  visit  is  as  follows : 

Brother  Heber  C.  Kimball  took  his  horse 
and  wagon,  Brother  Joseph  Young  and 
myself  accompanying  him,  and  started  for 
Kirtland  to  see  the  Prophet  Joseph.     We 


visited  many  friends  on  the  way  and  some 
branches  of  the  Church.  We  exhorted  them 
and  prayed  with  theni  and  I  spoke  in 
tongues.  Some  pronounced  it  genuine  and 
from  the  Lord,  and  others  pronounced  it  of 
the  devil. 

We  proceeded  to  Kirtland  and  stopped  at 
John  P.  Greene's,  who  had  just  arrived 
there  with  his  family.  We  rested  a  few 
minutes,  took  some  refreshments  and  started 
to  see  the  Prophet.  We  went  to  his  father's 
house  and  learned  that  he  was  in  the  woods 
chopping.  We  immediately  went  to  the 
woods,  where  we  found  the  Prophet  and 
two  or  three  of  his  brothers,  chopping  and 
hauling  wood.  Here  my  joy  was  full  at  the 
privilege  of  shaking  the  hand  of  the  Proph- 
et of  God,  and  received  the  sure  testimony, 
by  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  that  he  was  all 
that  any  man  could  believe  him  to  be,  as  a 
true  Prophet.  He  was  happy  to  see  us  and 
made  us  welcome.  We  soon  returned  to 
his  house,  he  accompanying  us. 

In  the  evening  a  few  of  the  brethren 
came  in  and  we  conversed  together  upon 
the  things  of  the  kingdom.  He  (Joseph) 
called  upon  me  to  pray;  in  my  prayer  I 
spoke  in  tongues.  As  soon  as  we  arose 
from  our  knees  the  brethren  flocked  around 
him  and  asked  his  opinion  concerning  the 
gift  of  tongues  that  was  upon  me.  He  told 
them  it  was  the  pure  Adamic  language. 
Some  said  to  him  they  expected  he  would 
condemn  the  gift  Brother  Brigham  had,  but 
he  said,  "No,  it  is  of  God,  and  the  time  will 
come  when  Brother  Brigham  Young  will 
preside  over  this  Church."  The  latter  part 
of  this  conversation  was  in  my  absence. 

After  this  visit  to  Kirtland,  Brigham 
returned  to  his  home  in  Mendon.  Dur- 
ing the  winter  he  undertook  a  short 
mission  to  Canada,  where  he  succeeded 
in  establishing  a  branch  of  the  Church 
at  East  Loboro.  In  the  spring  of  1833 
he  again  returned  to  Canada  and  suc- 
ceeded in  baptizing  twenty  people  and 
organizing  several  branches  of  the 
Church.  Returning  to  Mendon,  he  be- 
gan preparations  to  sell  out  his  hold- 
ings and  move  to  Kirtland  where  he 
could  give  his  entire  time  to  the  Church. 

He  tells  us: 

In  the  month  of  September,  in  conformity 
to  the  counsel  of  the  Prophet,  I  made  prep- 
arations to  gather  up  to  Kirtland,  and  en- 
gaged passage  for  myself  and  two  children 
with  Brother  Kimball,  and  sent  my  effects 
by  canal  and  lake  to  Fairport.  We  arrived 
in  Kirtland  in  safety,  traveling  by  land, 
where  I  tarried  all  winter  and  had  the 
privilege  of  listening  to  the  teachings  of 
the  Prophet,  and  enjoying  the  society  of  the 
Saints,  working  hard  at  my  former  trade. 

As  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  learn, 
Brigham  never  again  returned  to  Men- 
don and  the  quiet  scenes  where  he  had 
first  heard  the  gospel  message.  His  de- 
votion to  the  latter-day  work  was  to 
carry  his  name  far  beyond  the  borders 
of  that  little  village. 

401 


Sowl  (BhannmL 


AND  THE  MORMONS 
IN  EARLY  CALIFORNIA 


JEFFERSON    HUNT 


PartX 


The  even  temper  of  California's 
climate,  its  endless  acres  of  unfilled 
fertile  soil,  the  ease  with  which 
huge  tracts  could  be  cheaply  acquired, 
all  made  deep  impression  on  the  minds, 
and  hearts  of  the  Mormon  Battalion 
members.  On  the  14th  of  May,  1847, 
while  stationed  at  Los  Angeles,  Captain 
Jefferson  Hunt  had  broached  the  subject 
of  Mormon  acquirement  of  California 
land  in  a  letter  to  President  Young.  He 
had  written: 

We  are  in  perfect  suspense  here.  In  two 
months  we  look  for  a  discharge  and  know 
not  whither  to  steer  our  course.  We  have 
a  very  good  offer  to  purchase  a  large  val- 
ley, sufficient  to  support  50,000  families, 
connected  with  other  excellent  country, 
which  might  be  obtained.  The  rancho  con- 
nected with  the  valley  is  about  thirty  miles 
from  this  place,  and  about  twenty  miles 
from  a  good  ship  landing.  We  may  have 
the  land  and  stock  consisting  of  eight  thou- 
sand head  of  cattle,  the  increase  of  which 
was  three  thousand  last  year  and  an  im- 
mense quantity  of  horses,  by  paying  500 
dollars  down,  and  taking  our  time  to  pay 
the  remainder,  if  we  only  had  the  privilege 
to  buy  it .  . .  .* 

This  immense  tract,  so  favorably  of- 
fered, was  the  Rancho  Santa  Ana  del 
Chino.  At  the  time  of  the  Mexican 
War  it  was  in  possession  of  an  Ameri- 
can, Isaac  Williams,  who  had  married 
the  daughter  of  its  former  Spanish  own- 
er. Through  a  series  of  personal  mis- 
fortunes, Williams  had  earned  disfavor 
among  the  proud  aristocrats  in  whose 
circles  he  moved.  Discouragement  and 
ill  health  were  the  reasons  for  so  sacri- 
ficial a  tender  of  sale. 


^■Journal  History, 

402 


May    14,    1847 


However,  President  Young  consist- 
ently had  looked  with  disfavor  upon 
California  as  a  gathering  place  for  the 
Saints,  and  at  the  time  nothing  came 
of  this  overture.  The  subject  of  land 
purchase  again  came  to  the  fore  when 
those  members  of  the  Battalion  who 
had  re-enlisted  for  an  additional  six 
months  outfitted  themselves  at  Wil- 
liams' Chino  Rancho  in  preparation  for 
their  journey  to  Salt  Lake  City  after 
their  final  discharge  from  military  serv- 
ice. As  aforementioned,  their  journey 
home  was  by  way  of  the  old  Spanish 
Trail,  which  led  through  Cajon  Pass, 
Mojave  Desert,  and  Las  Vegas  Springs. 
In  addition  to  hauling  the  first  wagon  to 
Zion  via  the  southern  route,  these  re- 
turning Battalion  boys  took  with  them 
one  hundred  and  thirty-five  good  mules 
and  other  stock. 

In  the  fall  of  1849,  Jefferson  Hunt 
consented  to  pilot  a  large  company  of 
winter-stranded  gold-seekers  down  the 
snow-free  Spanish  Trail  to  California. 
Except  for  that  small  group  who  dis- 
regarded counsel  of  this  hardy  fron- 
tiersman, and  whose  "short-cut"  folly 
landed  them  in  the  lethal  wastes  of 
Death  Valley,  Hunt  brought  his  wagon- 
train  successfully  through  without  seri- 
ous mishap.  It  was  necessary  to  dis- 
mantle the  wagons  at  the  upper  narrows 
of  Cajon  Pass  and  reassemble  them  on 
the  other  side,  but  by  December  22 
they  were  safely  arrived  at  Chino 
Rancho.  Doubtless  land  sales  again 
were  topics  of  discussion  between  Wil- 
liams and  Hunt,  for  on  his  return  to 
Salt  Lake  valley,  considerable  agita- 
tion was  manifest  by  the  Saints  for 
establishment  of  a  colony  in  the  fertile 
valleys  of  southern  California. 

A  goodly  amount  of  logic  was  mar- 
tialed  in  support  of  the  idea.  Such  a 
wagon  route  to  the  coast  was  essential 
to  the  growing  Mormon  empire.  The 
southern  route  was  perpetually  free  of 
the  winter  hazards  which  blocked  the 
Sierra  passage  so  much  of  the  year.  And 
it  was  extremely  desirable  that  the 
Saints  should  control  the  southern  end 
of  it,  to  tend  adequately  to  the  outfitting 
of  wagon  trains,  that  they  might  not 
find  themselves  at  the  mercy  of  hostile 
profiteers  in  stock  and  supplies.  Then 
again  there  was  wisdom  in  maintaining 
a  friendly  way-station  for  rest  and 
equippage  of  converts  from  Australia, 
the  isles  of  the  Pacific. 

A  ccordingly,  in  the  winter  of  1850- 

51,    President    Young    appointed 

Apostles  Amasa  Lyman  and  Charles  C. 


By  PAUL  BAILEY 


Rich  to  the  task  of  promoting  such  a 
colony,  and  volunteers  were  called  to 
accompany  these  leaders  to  the  coast. 
Apostle  Lyman,  in  service  of  the 
Church,  had  spent  some  time  in  the 
San  Francisco  Bay  region,  though  he 
never  had  been  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
chosen  site.  Charles  C.  Rich  had  ac- 
companied Elder  Lyman  to  upper  Cali- 
fornia, but  in  addition  had  made  the 
trip  to  Los  Angeles  with  Jefferson 
Hunt. 

Early  in  March  of  1851,  the  company 
— a  hundred  and  fifty  wagons  strong — 
pulled  out  of  Salt  Lake  for  first  rendez- 
vous at  Payson.  President  Young  vis- 
ited the  colonists  there,  and  viewed 
with  considerable  dismay  the  legion  of 
Saints  who  had  availed  themselves  of 
this  opportunity  to  settle  in  California 
in  preference  to  the  chosen  place.  He 
had  visioned  a  colony  of  perhaps  twen- 
ty or  thirty  people.  When  his  eyes  be- 
held nearly  five  hundred  of  his  beloved 
Saints  abandoning  their  God-chosen 
heritage  for  California,  he  was  so  dis- 
tressed he  could  not  address  them.  Ac- 
companying the  group  south  was  Apos- 
tle Parley  P.  Pratt,  who  with  a  number 
of  other  missionaries  was  on  his  way 
to  the  south  sea  islands.  The  four 
hundred  and  thirty-seven  men,  women, 
and  children  included  a  generous 
sprinkling  of  Battalion  members  and 
their  families.  The  California  pioneer 
company  took  with  them  over  three 
hundred  cows,  a  hundred  horses,  and 
fifty-two  mules.  It  was  necessary  to 
move  the  huge  train  in  two  sections  as 
far  as  Parowan. 

At  Parowan  the  essential  planning 
for  the  long  desert  trip  was  made.  The 
established  custom  of  choosing  captains 
of  fifties  and  captains  of  tens  was  ad- 
hered to.  These  smaller  sections 
moved  as  units  to  conserve  forage  and 
not  to  place  too  great  a  drain  on  the 
meager  watering  facilities  which  the 
desolate  southern  deserts  provided. 
Their  route  was  one  pioneered  by  Jef- 
ferson Hunt — by  way  of  Mountain 
Meadows,   the  sandy  bed  of  the   Rio 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Virgin,  over  the  mesa  to  Muddy  River, 
and  thence  to  Las  Vegas  Springs.  Their 
suffering  ran  the  gantlet  from  blizzards 
and  mud  in  Utah,  to  the  maddening 
thirst  of  the  desolate  sun-baked  deserts. 
Neither  were  they  free  of  Indian  at- 


holding  at  least  one  conference,  Apos- 
tles Lyman  and  Rich  busied  themselves 
with  the  huge  task  of  raising  the  very 
considerable  amount  of  cash  necessary 
to  purchase  the  Lugo  properties.  Terms 
were  not  nearly  so  advantageous  as  the 


SAN   BERNARDINO  IN  1852 


— From   the   original,   Ingersoll  Collection 


With  sublime  faith  in  their  venture, 
Lyman  and  Rich  left  the  Saints  at 
sycamore  grove  and  hurried  north  to 
the  gold  camps — visiting  San  Francis- 
co, Sacramento,  and  Mormon  Island. 
The  generous  Saints  in  these  places  un- 
hesitatingly shared  earnings  for  the 
benefit  of  the  projected  colony,  and 
within  two  weeks  eight  thousand  dol- 
lars' worth  of  provisions  and  supplies 
were  aboard  the  brig  Fremont.  Leaving 
Apostle  Lyman  to  continue  efforts  in  be- 
half of  the  project,  Apostle  Rich  and 
Richard  R.  Hopkins  boarded  the  Fre- 
mont with  a  substantial  amount  of  cash. 
In  five  days  they  arrived  at  San  Pedro 
and  were  met  by  a  group  of  the  brethren 
with  forty  teams  to  haul  the  precious 
freight  to  San  Bernardino  Valley.  Apos- 
tle Lyman  returned  some  weeks  later, 
and  by  September  22  the  first  token 
payment  of  seven  thousand  dollars  was 
made  and  the  Saints  moved  onto  the 
property. 

The    colony    was    tendered    an    en- 


tacks.  One  skirmish  nearly  cost  a  group 
its  precious  horses  and  mules.  The 
Pratt  train  suffered  a  particularly  vi- 
cious raid  of  Paiutes  between  Vegas 
and  Resting  Springs  which  endangered 
lives  and  cost  them  numerous  dead 
and  wounded  stock.  Late  in  May  the 
pioneer  group  crossed  the  dreaded 
stretch  between  Resting  Springs  and 
the  Mojave  River,  and  June  9  reached 
the  agreed-upon  assembly  place — a 
sycamore  grove  near  the  south  end  of 
Cajon  Pass. 

Here  Apostle  Pratt  and  his  fellow 
missionaries  bade  farewell  to  the  Saints 
and  hurried  on  to  Los  Angeles.  Apostles 
Lyman  and  Rich,  leaving  their  charges 
safely  encamped  at  sycamore  grove, 
rode  on  to  Rancho  Chino,  to  confer 
with  Isaac  Williams  regarding  its  pur- 
chase. Here  disappointment  awaited 
them.     Williams  now  refused  to  sell. 

This  sudden  reversal  of  Williams  is 
difficult  to  understand.  As  late  as  De- 
cember of  1850,  in  a  letter  to  Apostle 
Rich,  he  had  repeated  his  offer  of  sale. 
"I  make  this  proposition  in  consequence 
of  ill-health,"  he  said,  "and  not  being 
able  to  manage  things,  as  the  country  is 
at  present,  as  I  could  wish."2  Dis- 
couraged, but  not  beaten,  the  two 
apostles  commenced  negotiations  for 
other  lands  suitable  to  their  purpose. 

/^\N  July  5,  the  Los  Angeles  Star  an- 
^^  nounced: 

We  learn  that  they  [the  Mormons]  are 
negotiating  for  the  purchase  of  the  Rancho 
of  San  Bernardino  from  the  family  of  Don 
Antonio  Maria  Lugo,  by  whom  it  is  held. 
.  . .  This  is  the  site  of  the  old  Mission  of  San 
Bernardino.  .  .  .  Here  probably  this  inter- 
esting people  will  make  their  first  establish- 
ment on  the  shores  of  the  Pacific.3 

The  prophecy  became  a  fact  only 
after  considerable  delay.  While  the 
Mormon  camp  at  the  sycamores  en- 
gaged itself  in  establishing  a  stake  or- 
ganization,    temporary     schools,     and 

^Williams  to   Rich,  Rich  Papers.   Salt  Lake   City 
3Los  Angeles  Star,  July  5.   1851 

JULY,  1943 


From  Ingersoll's 

Annals   o[    San 

Bernardino 


expected  Chino  deal,  and  the  sum  finally      thusiastic  welcome  by  the  Los  Angeles 
agreed  upon  was  $77,500.    As  the  set-     Star: 


tiers  had  little  cash  in  their  possession, 
the  two  apostles  were  faced  with  the 
dilemma  of  raising  $25,000  before  pur- 
chase contract  might  be  entered  into. 


The  Mormons   are  an  industrious   com- 
munity, and  will  develop  the  resources  of 
this  country  to  an  extent  that  will  give  it 
(Continued  on  page  430) 

403 


Prudence 


By  DEONE  ROBINSON 


A  Young  Writer 


Xri 


.rudence  lay  prone  on 
the  bridge  catching  "water-skaters." 
For  the  most  part,  they  eluded  her  dirty, 
grubby,  little  hands,  but  sometimes  she 
caught  one  of  the  many  long-legged 
little  bugs.  She  would  clutch  it  tightly 
in  her  hands  and  feel  it  wiggling  around 
inside  her  clenched  fingers.  Then  she 
would  put  her  hand  close  to  the  stream 
and  open  it,  letting  the  bug  go  scoot- 
ing swiftly  away  on  top  of  the  water. 

Her  brown,  scratched  legs  waved 
like  flags,  and  her  blue  eyes  were  fas- 
tened on  her  bugs,  when  the  hired  man 
came  up  from  behind  her.  He  grasped 
her  firmly. 

"Your  mama  wants  you  to  come  and 
get  ready  for  Miss  Ellen's  birthday 
party,  and  I  told  her  I'd  fetch  you.  I 
won't  let  go  of  you  unless  you  promise 
to  go  straight  in  and  not  run  off!" 

Prudence's  eyes  darkened  menacing- 
ly, "Ole  silly  party!"  Then  she  sighed, 
"Yes,  I'll  go  straight  in." 

The  hired  man  let  go  of  her,  and 
walked  away  toward  the  orchard.  The 
little  girl  stood  up.  Dust  and  dirt  and 
leaves  clung  to  the  front  of  her  faded, 
blue  shirt  and  shorts.  She  sadly  brushed 
herself  and  turned  in  the  general  direc- 
tion of  the  house.  She  kicked  rocks  up 
the  path  with  her  old,  scratched  shoes. 
She  stamped  across  the  porch.  The 
screen  door  banged. 

"Is  that  you,  Prudence?" 

"Yes,  mama." 

"Well,  come  in  here,  darling.  Your 
bath  is  ready.  You'll  be  late  if  you 
don't  hurry!" 

"Yes,  mama."  She  went  across  the 
room  muttering  darkly  to  herself,  "Ole 
ugly,  silly  party." 

"Did  you  say  something,  dear?" 
asked  her  mother. 

"No — that  is,  yes'm.  I  don't  really 
want  to  go  to  the  old  party,  mama.  I 
want  to  stay  home  and  play." 

The  mother  looked  dismayed,  "But 
darling,  you  never  want  to  go  to  par- 
ties! I've  gone  over  all  this  with  you 
before.  You  have  to  learn  to  live  with 
people  and  be  friendly.  You  have  to 
do — well,  do  as  others  do.  Why,  you're 
thirteen  years  old,  and  you  should  be 
enjoying  them." 

Prudence  looked  up  into  her  mother's 
pleading  eyes,  "Yes,  mama." 

The  only  time  she  looked  in  the  mir- 
ror during  the  whole  process  of  dress- 
ing was  to  part  her  black,  straight  hair. 
Her  mother  always  sighed  over  her 
hair,  but  curlers  hurt,  declared  Pru- 
dence. 

404 


She  put  on  her 
pretty  blue  party 
dress.  She  stood  be- 
fore her  mother.  "I 
feel  silly,"  she  said. 

The  mother  smiled 

weakly,"  Why " 

Then  she  said  hasti- 
ly, "You're  very 
nice-looking,  Pru- 
dence. Now,  here's 
the  present." 

Prudence  held  it 
gingerly  in  one  hand. 

"Now,    Prudence, 
it's  not  far  to  Ellen's,  but  you  dawdle 
so! 

"No,  mama,  I'll  walk  fast.  I'll  leave 
right  now  and  get  there  in  plenty  of 
time." 

"All  right,  dear.  And  Prudence, 
please  remember  to  be  polite  and  act 
nice." 

Prudence  knew  her  mother  was  re- 
membering the  last  time  she  went  to  a 
party.  She  had  got  all  the  boys  to  go 
out  on  the  lawn  and  play  mumble  peg 
instead  of  dancing,  until  the  horrified 
little  hostess  had  burst  into  tears. 

"I'll  be  okay,"  said  Prudence. 

"Not  'okay,'  darling,"  called  her 
mother  despairingly. 

Jr  rudence  kicked  a  rock 
along  the  sidewalk  for  nearly  a  whole 
block  before  she  remembered  she  had 
her  best  shoes  on  and  wasn't  supposed 
to  do  any  kicking  with  them.  That  was 
the  trouble,  she  thought  gloomily. 
There  were  so  many  things  to  remember 
not  to  do.  She  tried  kicking  the  rock 
with  her  heel,  but  she  nearly  lost  her 
balance,  and  so  she  left  it  lying  on  the 
sidewalk.  It  would  be  fatal  to  fall  down 
in  her  party  dress. 

She  turned  the  corner,  and  there  was 
Ellen's  house  just  in  front  of  her.  She 
stopped  and  sat  down  on  her  heels  star- 
ing at  the  house.  Probably  she  was 
early.  She  hadn't  better  go  in  yet.  She 
didn't  want  to  be  the  only  one  there. 
She  looked  down  the  shady  street. 
Green  lawns  with  sprinklers  sparkled 
gaily  in  the  sun.  How  she  hated  to  go 
in  and  sit  around  stiff  and  awkward,  or, 
worse  than  ever,  dance  to  a  phono- 
graph. Why,  a  person  couldn't  even 
eat  as  much  as  he  wanted  to  at  a  party, 
because  he  had  to  be  polite  and  say, 
"No,  thank  you!"  It  would  be  ten 
times  more  fun  at  home  playing  with 
her  puppy. 


Illustrated    by    L.    K.   Parkinson 


"I'D  LIKE  TO  WALK 
YOU  HOME,"  HE 
WAS  SAYING. 


Her  legs  began  to  feel  cramped,  so 
she  stood  up.  Someone  came  out  of  the 
house  opposite  Ellen's.  She  squared 
her  shoulders.  She  opened  the  front 
gate  and  went  up  the  walk.  She  rang 
the  loud  clapper  on  the  front  door 
firmly. 

Ellen  opened  the  door.  "Hello,  Pru- 
dence, come  in." 

'  'Lo,"  said  Prudence.    She  handed 
Ellen  the  present. 

"Oh,  thank  you,  Prudence." 

Ellen  ushered  her  into  the  living- 
room.  The  room  was  filled  with  boys 
and  girls.  Prudence  gulped;  gee,  she 
was  late  again. 

Ellen  was  speaking,  "And  this  is  my 
cousin,  William.  His  family  are  stay- 
ing here  until  they  find  them  a  house." 

Prudence  saw  a  pair  of  brown  eyes 
and  some  brown,  curly  hair.  Her  brow 
smoothed  out;   she  said,  "  Xo!" 

William  smiled  at  her  and  found  her 
a  chair.    Prudence  sat  down. 

Mary  Lou  Palmer  sitting  by  Pru- 
dence nudged  her,  "William's  almost 
sixteen,  and  he  can  drive  a  car.  Ellen 
told  me  all  about  him.  Did  you  see 
the  way  he  looked  at  you?" 

"Don't  be  silly,"  said  Prudence. 

The  rugs  were  rolled  up — so  it  was 
to  be  dancing.  Prudence  groaned  in- 
wardly. "Why  do  they  want  to  dance?" 
she  asked  herself. 

Then  William  was  standing  in  front 
of  her,  "Would  you  care  to  be  my  part- 
ner for  the  first  one?"  he  said. 

"Yes,"  breathed  Prudence.  She  felt 
the  other  girls'  eyes  on  her,  and  she 
lifted  her  head  a  little  and  ventured  a 
smile  at  William.  William  tightened 
his  grip  on  her  hand. 

Then  terror  clutched  her.  What 
would  she  say  to  him?  Would  she  have 
to  say  anything?  Goodness,  she  could- 
n't say  anything! 

(Concluded  on  page  420) 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


fcfojqwwL  CHAIRS  puojfL 


By 
FRANK  R.  ARNOLD 


A  college  boy  once  hitch-hiked 
home  from  Utah  rather  than 
spend  his  father's  money  for 
a  ticket.  He  used  it  instead  for  riding 
boots  and  on  arriving  home  he  set 
them  up  in  front  of  his  father,  ex- 
claiming, "Cost  me  a  lot,  but  aren't 
they  eloquent!  I  had  to  have  them. 
Look  as  though  they  were  going 
somewhere,  even  standing  empty 
like  that." 

More  eloquent  than  cowboy  boots 
are  the  pioneer  chairs  of  southern 
Utah.  You  find  them  in  the  Union 
Pacific  Lodge  on  the  north  rim  of  the 
Grand  Canyon,  in  the  villages  along 
the  Virgin  River  as  you  climb  up  to 
Zion  Canyon,  and  above  all,  across 
the  river  in  Grafton,  where  skilled 
chairmakers  on  canyon  ranches  make 
imitations  for  summer  mountain  cab- 
ins. I  met  them  first  in  Hurricane 
at  the  hotel  some  years  ago  and 
wanted  to  buy  one  from  the  hotel 
proprietor  as  the  best  possible  souve- 
nir of  my  trip  to  southern  Utah. 
"Go  across  the  street,"  said  he.  "You 
can  get  all  you  want  there.  Old 
man  makes  them  and  sells  them  to 
passing  tourists,  who  send  them 
home." 

I  went  across  the  street  and  met 
Mr.  Petty,  a  man  over  eighty,  sit- 
ting in  a  rawhide-bottomed,  ladder- 
backed  chair  before  his  door  while 
chair  uprights  were  boiling  in  a  brass 
pail  to  soften  the  wood  for  bending. 
He  greeted  me  with  a  most  unocto- 
genarian  enthusiasm. 

"Sure,  this  is  a  chair  factory.  I've 
been  making  them  since  I  was  fif- 
teen. Learned  to  from  Sam  K.  Gif- 
ford  in  Rockville.  He  made  nothing 
but  chairs  and  peddled  them  with  an 
ox  team  all  over  this  intermountain 
country.  His  son,  Alpheus  Gifford, 
made  all  kinds  of  furniture,  all  over 
the  state,  and  many  a  pioneer  bride 
was  happy  to  own  one  of  his  bed- 
steads. My  father  went  to  Rock- 
ville in  1 862.  When  I  was  nineteen 
I  made  seven  hundred  chairs  to  get 
money  to  take  violin  lessons  and  I've 
played  the  violin  in  Nevada  mining 

JULY,  1943 


towns  all  my  life,  but  now  I'm  too 
old  to  get  around  and  I'm  back  here 
making  chairs.  I  do  the  whole  job. 
Cut  down  the  trees  in  the  river  bot- 
toms and  turn  out  the  chairs.  Native 
ash  is  best.  Mulberry  is  good  and 
so's  black  walnut,  and  ailanthus  is 
all  right,  too,  specially  to  use  green 
around  the  chair  rungs,  shrinks  so 
tight  around  them.  When  Sam  Gif- 
ford settled  in  Springdale,  last  vil- 
lage before  you  get  to  Zion  Can- 
yon, he  sent  back  to  Ohio  for  ailan- 
thus trees.  That's  why  you  see  them 
growing  now  along  the  road  as  you 
go  into  town.  You'd  think  I'd  use 
box  elder.  It  holds  chair  rounds  well 
but  won't  wear  as  long.  I  guess  I'm 
the  only  chair  maker  left  in  the 
United  States  who  makes  rawhide 
bottoms.  I  take  the  hair  off  the  hide, 
same  as  a  tanner,  soak  it  in  water, 
cut  it  in  strips  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
wide,  and  it  takes  only  eighteen  to 
twenty-four  hours  to  dry.  In  sum- 
mer it  will  dry  over  night." 

[  bought  some  of  the  Petty  chairs 
to  send  back  to  Massachusetts. 
And  then  when  I  got  to  Rockville,  I 
saw  some  Gifford  chairs.  The  old 
Gifford  chair  is  lower  and  broader 
and  the  uprights  do  not  come  up  in 
knobs  to  torment  your  legs. 

We  stayed  at  the  Dennett  house 
in  Rockville  run  by  Mrs.  John  Den- 
nett, married  in  1865  at  fifteen  and 
mother  of  twelve  children.  We  ad- 
mired her  rawhide-bottomed  chairs. 


UPPER  LEFT:  TWO  CHAIRS  FROM 
UTAH,  MADE  IN  THE  EIGHTEEN  SIX- 
TIES AND  NOW  IN  A  NEW  ENGLAND 
HOME 

LOWER  LEFT:  A  TOQUERVILLE  CHAIR 
RIGHT:  RAWHIDE-BOTTOMED  CHAIR, 
HURRICANE,  UTAH,  AND  MR.  PETTY, 
SKILLED  CHAIRMAKER 


She  told  us  her  mother  had  given  her 
a  dozen  when  she  married,  and  for 
over  sixty  years  they  had  stood 
around  the  stove  and  drummers  and 
visitors  had  sat  on  them  tilted 
against  the  wall,  but  the  rawhide 
was  still  intact  and  tight,  and  the  up- 
rights and  rungs  strong.  Only  the 
back  legs  were  worn  down  a  little 
from  much  tilting. 

Some  years  later,  after  Mrs.  Den- 
nett's death,  I  bought  some  of  her 
old  chairs,  but  I  had  to  take  them 
across  the  river  to  Grafton,  a  village 
of  three  houses,  to  get  the  seats  re- 
strung  by  a  chair  artist  of  today  who 
supplies  canyon  houses  with  chairs 
built  on  the  pioneer  model.  He  first 
wanted  to  know  would  I  have  the 
hair  on  or  off,  and  as  I  didn't  know, 
he  made  me  some  of  both  and  I  liked 
the  types  equally  well.  Then  he 
took  a  soaked  rawhide,  cut  it  into 
one  long  strip,  tied  one  end  into  one 
of  the  back  corners  of  the  seat,  start- 
ed weaving  it  across  from  side  to 
side,  and  in  two  hours  my  chairs, 
seventy  years  old,  were  ready  for 
another  seventy. 

And  as  for  eloquence,  these  chairs 

talk  to  me  of  ladderbacks  all  over 

( Concluded  on  page  422 ) 

405 


SIR  WALTER  SCOTT 


By  ARCHIBALD  F.  BENNETT 

Secretary,  Genealogical  Society  of  Utah 


Sir  Walter  Scott  was  a  forerunner 
in  the  great  modern  movement  of 
"turning  the  hearts  of  children  to 
their  fathers." 

He  had  all  the  instincts  and  all  the 
interests  of  an  up-to-date  genealogist. 
He  wrote  a  brief  autobiography  which 
was  discovered  in  an  old  cabinet  at 
Abbotsford  after  his  death.  He  printed 
a  helpful  genealogy  on  the  Haliburtons, 
giving  the  ancestry  of  his  grandmother, 
Barbara  Haliburton.  His  pedigree  he 
traced  back  on  a  number  of  lines;  and 
he  delighted  in  the  stories  of  ancestral 
lives  and  adventures.  At  Abbotsford 
was  collected  every  obtainable  portrait 
of  his  forefathers;  and  he  frequently 
studied  their  features  and  sought  to 
divine  what  characteristics  he  had  in- 
herited through  his  ancestral  back- 
ground. Eagerly  he  searched  old  docu- 
ments— deeds,  contracts,  parish  regis- 
ters, and  the  like — for  more  facts  re- 
garding them.  Upon  the  walls  and 
ceilings  at  Abbotsford,  he  had  pre- 
served the  proud  coats-of-arms  of  the 
notable  families  through  which  he  came. 
He  familiarized  himself  with  the  per- 
sonal history  of  those  he  knew  to  be  his 
progenitors,  and  read  such  family  his- 
tories as  were  then  available.  An  early 
and  dear  friend  of  his  was  Robert  Sur- 
tees,  the  famous  antiquarian  and  gene- 
alogist. But  above  all  else,  his  magic 
pen  made  live  again  for  us  and  all  suc- 
ceeding generations  these  characters  of 
a  former  stirring  time,  in  a  sympathetic 
reproduction  of  their  spirit  and  chivalry. 
In  the  large  sense,  every  poem  and  every 
novel  he  wrote  was  a  genealogical  in- 
terpretation, and  very  frequently  of 
the  lives  of  his  own  ancestors. 

In  his  Memoirs  he  wrote: 

Every  Scottishman  has  a  pedigree.  It  is 
a  national  prerogative  as  unalienable  as  his 
pride  and  his  poverty.  My  birth  was  neither 
distinguished  nor  sordid.  According  to  the 
prejudices  of  my  country,  it  was  esteemed 
gentle,  as  I  was  connected,  though  remotely, 
with  ancient  families  both  on  my  father's 
and  mother's  side.  My  father's  grandfather 
was  Walter  Scott,  well  known  in  Teviot- 
dale  by  the  surname  of  Beardie.  He  was  the 
second  son  of  Walter  Scott,  first  Laird  of 
Raeburn,  who  was  the  third  son  of  Sir 
William  Scott,  and  the  grandson  of  Walter 
Scott,  commonly  called  in  tradition  Auld 
Watt,  of  Harden.  I  am  therefore  lineally 
descended  from  that  ancient  chieftain,  whose 
name  I  have  made  to  ring  in  many  a  ditty, 
and  from  his  fair  dame,  the  Flower  of  Yar- 
row— no  bad  genealogy  for  a  Border  min- 
strel. 

Scott's  gifted  biographer  and  son-in- 
law,  John  Gibson  Lockhart,  makes  this 
comment  on  the  above  passage: 

Sir  Walter  Scott  opens  his  brief  account 
of  his  ancestry  with  a  playful  allusion  to  a 

406 


trait  of  national  character,  which  has,  time 
out  of  mind,  furnished  merriment  to  the 
neighbours  of  the  Scotch;  but  the  zeal  of 
pedigree  was  deeply  rooted  in  himself,  and 
he  would  have  been  the  last  to  treat  it  with 
serious  disparagement.  It  has  often  been 
exhibited  under  circumstances  sufficiently 
grotesque;  but  it  has  lent  strength  to  many 
a  good  impulse,  sustained  hope  and  self- 
respect  under  many  a  difficulty  and  distress, 
armed  heart  and  nerve  to  many  a  bold  and 
resolute  struggle  for  independence;  and 
prompted  also  many  a  generous  act  of  as- 
sistance, which  under  its  influence  alone 
could  have  been  accepted  without  any  feel- 
ing of  degradation. 

He  speaks  modestly  of  his  own  descent; 
for,  while  none  of  his  predecessors  had  ever 
sunk  below  the  situation  and  character  of 
a  gentleman,  he  had  but  to  go  three  or  four 
generations  back,  and  thence,  as  far  as  they 
could  be  followed,  either  on  the  paternal 
or  maternal  side,  they  were  to  be  found 
moving  in  the  highest  ranks  of  our  baronage. 
When  he  fitted  up,  in  his  later  years,  the 
beautiful  hall  of  Abbotsford,  he  was  care- 
ful to  have  the  armorial  bearings  of  his  fore- 
fathers blazoned  in  due  order  on  the  com- 
partments of  its  roof;  and  there  are  few  in 
Scotland,  under  the  titled  nobility,  who 
could  trace  their  blood  to  so  many  stocks 
of   historical   distinction. 

In  the  Minstrelsy  of  the  Scottish  Border, 
and  Notes  to  the  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel, 
the  reader  will  find  sundry  notices  of  the 


SIR  WALTER  SCOTT 
AT  ABBOTSFORD 


tjsunsuahqL&L 


"Bauld  Rutherfords  that  were  sae  stout," 
and  the  Swintons  of  Swinton  in  Berwick- 
shire, the  two  nearest  houses  on  the  ma- 
ternal side.  An  illustrious  old  warrior  of 
the  latter  family,  Sir  John  Swinton,  extolled 
by  Froissart,  is  the  hero  of  the  dramatic 
sketch,  Halidon  Hill;  and  it  is  not  to  be 
omitted,  that  through  the  Swintons  Sir 
Walter  Scott  could  trace  himself  to  William 
Alexander,  Earl  of  Stirling,  the  poet  and 
dramatist.  (Lockhart,  Life  of  Sir  Walter 
Scott,  1:33,  87-88.) 

That  Sir  Walter  Scott  knew  and 
prized  this  relationship  to  the  poet  of 
an  earlier  generation  is  evidenced  by 
a  note  he  wrote  on  his  copy  of  "Recre- 
ations with  the  Muses,  by  William, 
Earl  of  Stirling,  1637,"  which  reads: 

Sir  William  Alexander,  sixth  Baron  of 
Menstrie,  and  first  Earl  of  Stirling,  the 
friend  of  Drummond  of  Hawthornden  and 
Ben  Jonson,  died  in  1640.  His  eldest  son, 
William  Viscount  Canada,  died  before  his 
father,  leaving  one  son  and  three  daughters 
by  his  wife,  Lady  Margaret  Douglas,  eldest 
daughter  of  William,  first  Marquis  of 
Douglas.  Margaret,  the  second  of  these 
daughters  married  Sir  Robert  Sinclair  of 
Longformacus  in  the  Merse,  to  whom  she 
bore  two  daughters,  Anne  and  Jean.  Jean 
Sinclair,  the  younger  daughter,  married  Sir 
John  Swinton  of  Swinton;  and  Jean  Swinton, 
her  eldest  daughter,  was  the  grandmother 
of  the  proprietor  of  this  volume.  (Ibid., 
1:88.  footnote.) 


Courtesy 

The 

Salt  Lake 

Library 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


This  Sir  William  Alexander,  Earl 
of  Stirling,  fourth  great-grandfather  of 
Sir  Walter,  was  a  public-spirited  and 
patriotic  man,  a  far-seeing  statesman 
with  ideas  much  in  advance  of  his  time, 
and  endowed  with  talents  which  distin- 
guished him  as  one  of  the  most  brilliant 
of  his  countrymen  of  the  seventeenth 
century.  He  gained  early  reputation 
as  a  scholar,  and  this  led  to  his  selection 
as  tutor  to  young  Prince  Henry,  son  of 
James  I  of  England  and  heir  to  the 
throne  of  England  and  Scotland.  When 
Prince  Henry  died  in  1612,  Sir  William 
Alexander  became  tutor  to  Prince 
Charles,  afterwards  Charles  I.  The 
instructor  had  great  influence,  by  vir- 
tue of  his  literary  talents  and  personal 
accomplishments,  and  substantial  re- 
wards soon  followed.  By  royal  charter 
he  was  granted  a  vast  territory  in  then 
little  known  North  America,  including 
the  best  portions  of  the  present  United 
States  and  Canada — an  empire  larger 
than  all  the  king's  dominions  elsewhere, 
and  in  it  was  vested  with  almost  abso- 
lute authority.  Industriously  he  set 
about  to  colonize  this  area;  and  in  1 624 
wrote  a  brilliant  work  entitled,  "An 
Encouragement  to  Colonies,"  but  not 
appreciated  until  the  day  of  coloniza- 
tion dawned.  In  1635  Charles  I  made 
him  Earl  of  Stirling;  and  in  1635  granted 
him  Long  Island  comprising  what  is 
now  part  of  the  City  of  New  York, 
but  then  not  a  very  helpful  gift. 

The  Earl  was  a  poet  of  no  mean  abil- 
ity, and  his  poems  were  read  and  ad- 
mired by  Milton,  Ben  Jonson,  Drum- 
mond  of  Hawthornden,  and  won  the 
later  unstinted  praise  of  Addison.  De- 
spite his  busy  life  as  scholar,  courtier 
and  statesman,  he  produced  a  remark- 
able number  of  poems  "weighted  with 
thought."  Some  were  dedicated  to 
King  James,  and  gave  warning  and 
counsel  that  "wicked  princes"  may  be 
dethroned.  "Manlier  speech  never  was 
addressed  to  kings  than  by  him,"  says 
one  authority.  (Dictionary  of  Nation- 
al Biography,  1:279-280;  Scots'  Peer- 
age, 8:170-178) 

He  died  at  London  in  1740,  being 
predeceased  by  his  son,  who  bore  the 
title  of  Viscount  Canada.  Through  the 
viscount's  wife,  Margaret  Douglas, 
daughter  of  the  eleventh  Earl  of  Angus 
and  first  Marquess  of  Douglas,  the  lat- 
ter passed  on  to  Sir  Walter  Scott,  their 
descendant,  the  blood  of  the  great  house 
of  Douglas,  of  many  other  families  of 
the  highest  Scottish  nobility,  and  of 
the  royal  family  itself.  Scott  was  the 
eighth  great-grandson  of  King  James 
IV  of  Scotland,  who  fell  at  the  battle 
of  Flodden,  and  the  offspring  by  a  num- 
ber of  lines  from  the  earlier  sovereigns 
of  his  native  land. 

In  order  to  speak  with  assurance,  I 
have  traced  his  pedigree,  utilizing  the 
best  and  most  authentic  sources  today 
available,  to  include  the  names  of  over 
seven  hundred  of  his  progenitors,  and 
have  tabulated  them  on  seventy-five 
pedigree  charts.  A  study  of  these  shows 
that  certainly  Scott  did  not  overstate 
the  case  when  he  modestly  said  that  his 
birth  was  accounted  gentle.     Through 

JULY,  1943 


Mary  of  Gueldres,  queen  of  James  II, 
he  traces  to  most  of  the  royal  lines  and 
nobility  of  Europe;  through  Joan  Beau- 
fort, queen  of  James  I,  he  derives  from 
Edward  III  of  England  and  good  queen 
Philippa,  and  thus  again  his  lineage  can 
be  followed  to  reigning  houses  in 
France,  Germany,  Spain,  Holland, 
Hungary,  Russia,  Constantinople,  and 
Italy,  Poland,  and  the  countries  of 
Scandinavia.  What  is  still  more  inter- 
esting, perhaps,  is  that  most  of  the 
characters  who  live  again  in  his  poems 
and  novels  can  now  be  demonstrated 
to  be  a  great-grandfather  or  great- 
grandmother,  of  one  degree  or  another. 
In  the  Introduction  to  the  Sixth  Can- 
to of  Marmion,  Scott  has  left  us  a  pen 
picture  of  one  great-grandfather — 
Walter  Scott,  known  as  Beardie,  who 
vowed  never  to  shave  his  beard  until 
the  Stuarts  were  restored  to  the  throne : 

Still  linger  in  our  northern  clime 

Some  remnants  of  the  good  old  time, 

And  still  within  our  valleys  here 

We  hold  the  kindred  title  dear, 

Even  when,  perchance,  its  far-fetched  claim 

To  Southron  ear  sounds  empty  name; 

For  course  of  blood,  our  proverbs  deem, 

Is  warmer  than  the  mountain  stream. 

And  thus  my  Christmas  still  I  hold 

Where  my  great-grandsire  came  of  old, 

With  amber  beard  and  flaxen  hair 

And   reverent  apostolic  air, 

The  feast  and  holy-tide  to  share, 

And  mix  sobriety  with  wine, 

And  honest  mirth  with  thoughts  divine: 

Small  thought  was  his,  in  after  time 

E'er  to  be  hitched  into  a  rhyme. 

The  simple  sire  could  only  boast 

That  he  was  loyal  to  his  cost, 

The  banished  race  of  kings  revered, 

And  lost  his  land — but -kept  his  beard. 

The  father  of  Beardie  was  another 
Walter  Scott  of  Raeburn,  who  married 
Isobel  MacDougall.  They  were  Bibli- 
cal students  and  he  read  the  Old  Testa- 
ment in  the  original  Hebrew.  Later  they 
embraced  the  doctrines  of  the  Quakers, 
at  a  time  when  George  Fox  visited  Scot- 
land, and  in  consequence  were  subjected 
to  severe  and  bitter  persecution.  He 
was  imprisoned,  and,  by  government 
order,  his  children  were  taken  from  the 
custody  of  himself  and  wife,  and  en- 
trusted to  his  brother,  lest  they,  too,  be- 
come "infected  with  the  errors  of 
Quakerism."  The  mother,  when  her 
children  were  snatched  from  her,  fol- 
lowed them  to  their  new  home,  but  was 
denied  entrance,  even  when  she  fell  up- 
on her  knees  before  the  relatives.  Thus 
it  was  that  Beardie  and  his  posterity 
were  not  trained  as  Quakers. 

The  father  of  Walter  Scott  of  Rae- 
burn, the  Quaker,  was  Sir  William 
Scott  of  Harden,  who  married  Agnes 
Murray,  daughter  of  Sir  Gilbert  Mur- 
ray of  Elibank.  In  his  youth  William 
engaged  in  a  foray  on  Sir  Gideon's 
lands,  and  was  overpowered  and  cap- 
tured, and  carried  a  prisoner  to  the 
Murray  castle.  Scott  used  this  experi- 
ence as  theme  for  an  early  unfinished 
poem  called  "The  Reiver's  Wedding," 
with  the  opening  words: 

Or  will  ye  hear  how  a  gallant  lord 
Was  wedded  to  a  gay  ladye? 


The  Warden's  daughters  in  Lochwood  sate, 
Were  all  both  fair  and  gay, 
All  save  the  Lady  Margaret, 
And  she  was  wan  and  wae. 

As  she  bemoans  her  fate  she  glances 
up  and  sees  her  father's  men  bringing 
in  the  hapless  prisoner: 

And  in  the  midst  the  troopers  led 
A  shackled  knight  along. 

The  poem  fragment  ends  at  this  point, 
but  Sir  Walter  Scott  tells  the  story  as 
passed  on  by  tradition: 

The  Lady  Murray  (agreeably  to  the  cus- 
tom of  all  ladies  in  ancient  tales)  was  seated 
on  the  battlements,  and  descried  the  return 
of  her  husband  with  his  prisoner.  She  im- 
mediately inquired  what  he  meant  to  do  with 
the  young  knight  of  Harden.  "Hang  the 
robber,  assuredly,"  was  the  answer  of  Sir 
Gideon.  "What,"  answered  the  lady,  "hang 
the  handsome  young  knight  of  Harden, 
when  I  have  three  ill-favoured  daughters 
unmarried?  No,  no,  Sir  Gideon;  we'll  force 
him  to  marry  our  Meg."  Now  tradition 
says  that  Meg  Murray  was  the  ugliest  wom- 
an in  the  four  counties,  and  that  she  was 
called,  in  the  homely  dialect  of  the  time, 
"Meikle-mouthed  Meg."  Sir  Gideon,  like 
a  good  husband  and  tender  father,  entered 
into  his  wife's  sentiments,  and  proffered  to 
Sir  William  the  alternative  of  becoming  his 
son-in-law,  or  decorating  with  his  carcase 
the  kindly  gallows  of  Elibank.  The  lady 
was  so  very  ugly,  that  Sir  William,  the 
handsomest  man  of  his  time,  positively  re- 
fused the  honour  of  her  hand.  Three  days 
were  allowed  him  to  make  up  his  mind,  and 
it  was  not  until  he  found  an  end  of  the  rope 
made  fast  to  his  neck,  and  the  other  knotted 
to  a  sturdy  oak  bough,  that  his  resolution 
gave  way,  and  he  preferred  an  ugly  wife 
to  the  literal  noose.  It  is  said  they  were 
afterwards  a  very  happy  couple. 

Lockhart  remarks  that  the  descend- 
ants of  Meg  with  the  large  mouth  "in- 
herited something  of  her  characteristic 
feature,"  and  that  "the  poet^  himself 
was  no  exception  to  the  rule." 

In  the  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel,  which 
is  in  reality  a  stirring  story  of  the  Scott 
clan,  ancestors  of  Sir  Walter  himself 
troop  in  rapid  succession.  At  the  sig- 
nal call  "Wat  of  Harden  came  hither 
amain."  He  was  the  father  of  Sir 
William  who  married  Meg  Murray,  a 
notable  border  raider,  celebrated  in 
border  ballads  as  "Auld  Wat  of  Hard- 
en." Of  him  Scott  wrote  this  note  to 
accompany  the  Lay: 

The  family  of  (Scott  of)  Harden  are 
descended  from  a  younger  son  of  the  Laird 
of  Buccleuch.  .  .  .  Walter  Scott  of  Hard- 
en, who  flourished  during  the  reign  of  Queen 
Mary,  was  a  renowned  freebooter.  ...  In 
the  recess  of  this  glen  he  is  said  to  have 
kept  his  spoil,  which  served  for  the  daily 
maintenance  of  his  retainers,  until  the  pro- 
duction of  a  pair  of  clean  spurs  announced 
to  the  hungry  band  that  they  must  ride  for 
a  supply  of  provisions.  He  was  married 
to  Mary  Scott,  daughter  of  Philip  Scott  of 
Dryhope,  and  called  in  song  the  Flower 
of  Yarrow.  He  possessed  a  very  extensive 
estate,  which  was  divided  among  his  five 
sons. 

In  his  Memoirs  Scott  adds:     "My 
grandmother,  in  whose  youth  the  old 
border  depredations  were  matter  of  re- 
cent tradition,   used  to  tell  me  many 
(Concluded  on  page  430) 
407 


Grandpa  Gayler... 
(pionsuuv 

'"Phe  story  of  a  Mormon  pioneer  who  never  crossed  the 
.     plains  but  who  blazed  trails  for  the  gospel  at  home 


John  the  Baptist  Gayler  stopped 
twirling  his  cane  for  a  moment  and 
attempted  to  balance  it  on  his 
thumb. 

"Yes  suh,"  he  reflected,  "many  is  the 
time  I've  sat  and  held  a  gun  while  the 
elders  preached." 

Delighted  by  his  own  remark,  he 
burst  into  a  half  cough,  half  chuckle 
which  convulsed  his  lanky  frame.  His 
bushy  white  beard,  protruding  from  his 
face  at  an  angle  which  lengthened  his 
chin  several  inches,  bobbed  merrily. 

Presently  he  settled  back  in  the  bat- 
tered rocker  and  began  another  story 
of  the  early  days  .  .  .  fidgeting  idly 
with  his  cane  as  he  talked. 

Here  was  an  unusual  character.  I 
knew  that  after  I  heard  him  tell  his  first 
story.  To  the  casual  passer-by  who 
saw  him  lounging  on  the  porch,  he 
looked  like  any  other  superannuated 
southern  farmer.  But  Grandpa  Gayler 
was  different.   You  could  tell  that. 

His  conversation  was  alive  with  wit 
and  rich  with  philosophy,  reflecting  a 
full,  contented  life.  In  spite  of  the 
wrinkles  which  creased  his  face  and 
the  slight  stoop  which  bent  his  back, 
he  was  not  mired  in  the  rut  of  old  age. 
It  was  evident  from  his  sense  of  humor 
and  the  mischievous  twinkle  in  his  eye 
that  he  had  managed  to  maintain  a  fresh 
perspective  on  life. 

Grandpa  Gayler — as  he  is  known 
affectionately  to  more  than  five  hun- 
dred missionaries  who  have  shared  his 
hospitality — never  crossed  the  plains. 
While  other  converts  were  trekking  to 
Utah,  he  stayed  at  home  and  blazed 
trails  for  the  gospel  in  a  hostile  land. 
His  farm  was  an  oasis  for  early  mission- 
aries who  found  refuge  from  persecu- 
tion within  his  gates.  It  was  not  un- 
common in  those  days  for  a  pair  of  har- 
assed elders  to  stumble  upon  his  porch, 
gasping  for  water  which  had  been  re- 
fused them  everywhere  else  along  the 
way.  Often  they  quenched  their  thirst 
while  Brother  Gayler  held  an  angry 
mob  at  bay  with  a  shotgun. 

Oldest  living  convert  in  Alabama, 
John  the  Baptist  Gayler  was  born  Au- 
gust 14,  1858,  in  Cherokee  (now  Eto- 
wah) County,  Alabama,  where  he  has 
resided  all  his  life.  When  his  father, 
Allen  Gayler,  announced  that  he  would 
be  called  "John,"  the  hired  worker,  a 
devout  Baptist,  hit  upon  a  brilliant  idea. 
If  "John"  was  to  be  the  name  anyhow, 
he  reasoned,  it  might  as  well  be  "John 
the  Baptist"  in  honor  of  the  great  Bibli- 
cal character.  Old  man  Gayler  was 
impressed.  So  the  new  baby  became 
John  the  Baptist  Gayler — a  name  which 
peculiarly  fitted  his  later  role  as  a  fore- 
runner of  Mormonism  in  Alabama. 

408 


By  JACK  NORTHMAN 
ANDERSON 

of  the  Southern  States  Mission 


"GRANDPA"   GAYLER 

"Deligious  at  heart  but  dissatisfied 
A^  with  the  teachings  of  the  local  de- 
nominations, John  Gayler  grew  up  with- 
out joining  any  church.  It  was  not 
until  fifteen  years  after  his  marriage  to 
Margaret  Elizabeth  Reynolds  in  1878 
that  he  first  encountered  Mormonism. 
On  a  September  day  in  1893,  he 
greeted  two  elders — N.  W.  Miller  of 
Manassa,  Colorado,  and  B.  F.  LeBaren 
of  Mesa,  Arizona — at  his  door.  He  had 
been  warned  by  his  neighbors  that  the 
Mormons  were  coming,  but  in  spite  of 
all  that  he  had  heard  against  them,  he 
could  not  force  himself  to  be  unfriendly. 
He  shook  hands  with  Elder  Miller  and, 
with  the  same  grasp,  pulled  him  inside. 

"Come  in,"  he  invited. 

...  At  this  point  the  lean,  white- 
bearded  old  man  beamed  with  pride. 
"The  first  words  I  ever  spoke  to  a 
Mormon  elder,"  he  boasted,  "were 
'Come  in.' '  And  he  burst  into  another 
chuckle. 

Before  those  first  missionaries  con- 
tinued on  their  way,  they  explained  the 
Articles  of  Faith  and  left  three  tracts. 
John  Gayler  and  his  wife  were  im- 
mediately interested,  and  stayed  up  un- 
til late  in  the  night  reading.  Next  morn- 
ing they  decided  to  become  Mormons. 

Five  months  elapsed,  however,  before 
they  could  contact  the  elders  and  take 


the  initial  step.  Finally,  on  March  13, 
1894,  they  were  baptized  into  the 
Church  by  Elder  Miller. 

They  had  been  Mormons  less  than 
one  day  when  word  got  around  that 
the  missionaries  were  in  town.  As 
dusk  settled  upon  the  Gayler  farm,  a 
crowd  of  scowling,  muttering  neighbors 
were  seen  approaching  the  house.  They 
carried  whips  of  leather  thongs. 

Brother  Gayler  met  them  at  the  gate. 

"We  came  to  talk  to  the  Mormon 
elders,"  they  announced  .  .  .  and  he 
could  see  that  they  meant  business. 

But  Brother  Gayler  also  meant  busi- 
ness. 

"You  can  come  in  and  talk  to  them, 
but  it  won't  be  healthy  if  you  try  any- 
thing else,"  he  warned. 

As  they  filed  in,  he  sat  with  a  gun 
on  his  lap  to  enforce  his  warning. 

For  several  years  those  neighbors  re- 
fused to  have  anything  to  do  with  him. 
Later,  several  of  them  joined  the 
Church.  In  addition  to  those  he  has 
converted,  Grandpa  Gayler  proudly 
boasts  that  he  has  raised  "three  genera- 
tions of  Mormons."  Now  living  are 
one  daughter,  eleven  grandchildren  and 
twelve  great-grandchildren — all  en- 
rolled in  the  Gadsden  Branch. 

A  hatter  by  trade,  Brother  Gayler 
made  hats  by  hand  until  the  advent  of 
the  machine.  Then  he  reverted  to 
farming,  which  occupied  his  working 
hours  until  two  years  ago  when  failing 
health  confined  him  to  the  house. 

When  he  was  active,  he  always  de- 
lighted in  mingling  with  the  crowds  in 
town  on  Saturday  afternoons  and  talk- 
ing religion  with  all  who  would  listen. 
Now  that  he  is  unable  to  wander  the 
streets,  his  old  cronies  often  visit  him 
at  his  home  to  bring  up  a  new  argument 
in  their  favor.  But  Grandpa  Gayler 
has  an  answer  for  everything.  Always 
alert  and  witty,  he  can  wiggle  out  of  a 
dilemma  witn  ease  .  ,  .  usually  by 
quoting  scripture,  which  he  does  faster 
than  most  listeners  can  follow. 

"If  they  can't  keep  up  with  me,"  he 
pointed  out  with  a  chuckle,  "they  can't 
tell  when  I  make  a  mistake." 

One  old-timer  asked  him  why  it  was 
necessary  for  a  person  to  join  the 
Church  as  long  as  he  lived  a  good 
Christian  life. 

Grandpa  Gayler  thought  a  moment, 
pushing  his  weather-beaten  hat  back 
on  his  head  and  scratching  his  straggly, 
white  hair  with  a  bony  finger. 

"The  only  ones  who  were  saved 
from  the  flood,"  he  said  at  last,  "were 
those  who  got  on  board  the  ark." 

After  this  story,  he  looked  up  at  me 
earnestly. 

"Son,"  he  declared,  "life  wouldn't  be 
worth  livin'  without  the  Church.  It's 
the  one  thing  that  gives  me  satisfaction 
in  my  old  age.  I  know  it's  true,  and 
I  have  known  it  ever  since  the  day  those 
first  elders  visited  me  forty-nine  years 
ago." 

Then  he  paused,  and  the  twinkle  crept 
back  in  his  eye. 

"The  gospel  is  like  a  feast,"  he  said. 
"It  is  laid  out  on  the  table  for  you. 
All  you  gotta  do  is  he'p  yourself." 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


(pAMidsnt.  EDWARD  J.  WOOD 


A  good  and  faithful  servant,  dean 
of  stake  presidents  in  the  Church, 
was  recently  honorably  released 
after  thirty-nine  years  of  continuous 
service  in  the  stake  president's  office. 
This  is  the  unusual  record  of  President 
Edward  J.  Wood  of  the  Alberta  Stake 
of  Zion,  Cardston,  parent  stake  of  the 
Church  in  Canada.  The  late  Charles 
Ora  Card,  venerable  churchman  and 
colonizer,  founded  the  Mormon  colon- 
ies in  Canada.  Edward  J.  Wood  suc- 
ceeded him  as  stake  president  at  the 
turn  of  the  century  and  has  seen  the  im- 
pressive growth  of  the  Church  in  the 
northland  as  foretold  by  President  John 
Taylor  and  other  Church  leaders. 

Now,  relieved  of  the  strenuous  duties 
of  his  office  as  head  of  a  large  and  busy 
stake,  the  veteran  leader  will  be  better 
able  to  discharge  the  duties  of  his  con- 
tinuing office  as  president  of  the  Alberta 
Temple.  There  in  the  quiet  of  its  gar- 
dens and  in  the  sweet  solemnity  of  its 
courts  he  will  find  a  new  peace  in  the 
midst  of  a  war-torn  world  ministering 
to  the  faithful  who  come  to  the  House 
of  the  Lord  for  worship  and  solace. 
"Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace, 
whose  mind  is  stayed  on  Thee  because 
he  trusteth  in  Thee."  As  expressed  by 
Isaiah,  such  is  the  peace,  such  the  pow- 
er President  Wood  will  find  as  he  de- 
votes his  full  ministry  to  the  temple. 
It  is  a  time  and  an  opportunity  he  has 
long  anticipated. 

Life  has  dealt  kindly  with  President 
Wood,  if  not  always  gently.  He  is  still 
enjoying  unusually  good  health;  in  fact, 
one  is  amazed  at  the  smartness  of  his 
step  and  the  buoyancy  of  his  spirit. 
Perhaps  it  is  in  his  fine  sense  of  humor 
that  has  had  much  to  do  with  this;  his 
close  contact  with  the  people,  especially 
the  young  people,  has  had  its  influence. 
There  is  little  indicative  of  age  about 
him  except  perhaps  the  maturity  of  his 
judgment  and  counsel  and  the  all- 
embracing  love  he  bears  for  his  fellow 
men.  His  is  a  vigorous,  compelling 
personality,  and  his  broad  and  living 
conception  of  religion  and  the  brother- 
hood of  man  has  endeared  him  to  thou- 
sands both  within  and  without  the 
Church.  He  has  been  a  great  friend- 
maker  for  the  Church. 

■\I7hen  his  retirement  was  announced, 
vv       a  friend  remarked:      "What  a 
life  to  look  back  upon!     A  life  filled 
with  gracious  years." 

This  seems  precisely  to  fit  Edward  J. 
Wood,  whose  ministry  has  touched 
lives  in  many  lands  and  among  many 
races.  He  is  one  of  the  great  mission- 
aries of  the  Church  and  still  retains  the 
missionary  spirit,  the  spirit  of  changing 
lives,  of  winning  men  to  God.  At  home 
and  abroad,  on  the  islands  of  the  Pa- 
cific where  the  trade  winds  blow,  and 
among  the  Blackfeet  of  his  Canadian 

JULY,  1943 


"(L  3j$sl.  Jilted,  witik. 
By  C  FRANK  STEELE 


PRESIDENT  AND   MRS.   EDWARD  J.  WOOD 


home  he  has  preached  the  gospel  and 
borne  his  testimony. 

President  Wood  was  born  some 
seventy-seven  years  ago  in  Salt  Lake 
City.  His  father  was  William  Wood,  a 
butcher  by  trade,  a  native  of  England 
and  a  veteran  of  the  Crimean  War. 
William  Wood  was  an  able  preacher 
and  a  fascinating  story-teller.  Likewise 
few  can  tell  a  story  more  forcefully 
than  President  Wood.  His  reminis- 
cences and  well-selected  stories  always 
lend  color  and  warmth  to  his  sermons 
and  fireside  talks.  His  mother  was 
Elizabeth  Gentry  Wood,  a  convert — 
as  was  his  father — of  the  late  President 
Charles  W.  Penrose  during  the  latter's 
missionary  work  in  England.  That  was 
in  the  'fifties.  His  parents,  as  sweet- 
hearts, crossed  the  Atlantic  in  a  sailing 
ship  and  the  great  plains  to  Salt  Lake 
City  in  a  wagon  train. 

As  a  youth  he  accompanied  his  par- 
ents on  a  mission  of  colonization  to 
Dixie,  far  south  of  Salt  Lake.  It  was 
then  Mexican  territory.  Later  it  be- 
came part  of  Arizona,  and  today  the 
spot  where  the  Wood  family  lived  for 
five  years  is  covered  by  Lake  Mead  of 
famous  Boulder  Dam. 

President  Wood  delights  to  recall 
his  youth.  At  twelve  he  was  ordained 
a  deacon  and  with  other  members  of 
the  Priesthood  marched  in  the  funeral 
procession  of  President  Young.  At 
thirteen  he  was  a  Sunday  School  teach- 
er. In  1888,  he  was  ordained  a  seventy 
and  with  Elder  William  O.  Lee  and 


wife  and  Elder  Adelbert  Beesley  was 
called  on  a  mission  to  the  Navigator- 
Samoan  Islands.  This  was  the  first  of 
three  missions  President  Wood  filled 
in  the  South  Sea  islands.  Often  he 
has  been  the  only  white  person  on  an 
island,  often  traveling  thousands  of 
miles,  sometimes  through  treacherous 
seas,  by  native  canoe. 

It  was  during  his  early  missionary 
labors  in  Samoa  that  President  Wood 
met  Robert  Louis  Stevenson.  Steven- 
son was  an  outspoken  admirer  of  the 
Mormon  missionaries'  practical  work 
among  the  natives. 

President  Wood's  many  years  of 
early  missionary  work  in  the  islands, 
(in  the  1890's)  for  a  considerable  time 
as  president,  stand  out  among  the  fruit- 
ful years  that  have  characterized  his 
long  and  interesting  career  in  the  Priest- 
hood of  the  Church. 

Says  President  Wood,  recalling  his 
first  mission : 

When  I  was  set  apart  for  my  first  mission 
by  President  George  Q.  Cannon,  he  said, 
among  other  things,  that  the  Holy  Ghost, 
given  me  when  I  was  confirmed  a  member 
of  the  Church,  would  be  a  comforter,  a 
protector,  and  guide  to  me,  and  that  if  I 
remained  faithful  and  worthy  the  Tempter 
would  have  no  power  over  me. 

I  was  also  promised  that  the  hearts  of 
evil,  designing  men,  who  would  seek  to 
do  me  bodily  harm,  would  be  softened 
when  they  would  come  under  the  influence 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  around  me. 

Often  I  sat  in  councils  by  the   side  of 

native  chiefs  who  were  strong    adherents 

(Continued  on  page  436) 

409 


IhsLjwo 


Unidentified  w««. 


7TLTHOUGH  the  Church  early  stimu- 
L\  lated  the  recording  of  events 
J~  J*  which  later  became  history,  and 
many  individuals  kept  diaries  and  jour- 
nals, there  were  many  things  left  untold. 
A  few  sidelights  on  the  entrance  of 
the  Pioneers  into  Salt  Lake  Valley 
should  be  interesting  and  may  afford  a 
clearer  view  of  the  event.  We  are 
given  a  graphic  description  of  the  en- 
trance of  Orson  Pratt  and  Erastus 
Snow  into  the  valley  on  July  21,  1847. 
The  two,  with  one  horse  between  them, 
proceeded  ahead  of  the  main  com- 
panies. Because  the  going  was  bad 
along  the  creek,  they  climbed  a  steep 
hill  at  the  mouth  of  Emigration  Canyon. 
Here  the  valley  burst  into  full  view. 
They  were  overwhelmed  and  over- 
joyed. They  waved  their  hats  in  the 
air  and  cried,  "Hosannah!  Hosannah  to 
the  Lord!" 

After  gazing  at  the  valley,  the  sky, 
the  mountains,  the  blue  waters  of  the 
lake  with  its  islands,  and  range  after 
range  of  mountains,  they  proceeded  on 
their  journey.  They  took  a  circuitous 
course.  We  are  told  they  first  went 
north  toward  Red  Butte.  Later  they 
must  have  turned  west  and  then  south 
or  southwest,  for  after  a  few  miles' 
travel  they  came  to  some  "canyons"  in 
the  valley.  These  were  probably  the 
deep  ravines  in  the  east  bench  through 
which  the  streams  flow.  In  this  region 
Erastus  Snow  missed  his  jacket  and  re- 
turned to  find  it.  Orson  Pratt  continued 
on  for  a  short  distance  and  then  re- 
turned to  the  mouth  of  Emigration  Can- 
yon, where  the  two  men  met  and  re- 
turned to  camp. 

A  n  exploring  party  of  nine  men  under 
**■  the  leadership  of  Orson  Pratt  and 
George  A.  Smith  entered  the  valley 
early  the  next  day,  Thursday  morning, 
July  22,  1847.  The  main  object  was  to 
find  a  suitable  site  for  a  future  city. 

They  took  a  westward  course  from 
Emigration  Canyon  until  they  reached 
the  level  valley,  where  they  followed  a 
meandering  course  northward  to  the 
forks  of  City  Creek.  They  were  favor- 
ably impressed  with  this  region.  Never- 
theless, they  explored  farther  north  to- 
ward the  lake  and  finally  came  to  the 
warm  springs.  The  hot  springs  were 
a  curiosity  to  them,  but  since  the  soil 
was  poor  here  they  returned  to  City 
Creek.  Here  they  did  something  that 
in  the  histories  is  not  usually  empha- 
sized. They  actually  took  possession 
of  the  region.  They  established  a  camp. 

In  1888,  when  many  of  the  men  of 
the  exploring  party  were  still  alive,  the 

410 


By  DR.  A.  L  CURTIS 


historian  Bancroft  wrote:  "The  follow- 
ing morning  (July  22,  1847)  the  ad- 
vance company,  composed  of  Orson 
Pratt,  George  A.  Smith,  and  seven  oth- 
ers, entered  the  valley  and  encamped 
on  Canon  Creek."  "Canon  Creek" 
evidently  was  City  Creek.  The  main 
point  in  Bancroft's  statement  is  that  the 
exploring  party  established  a  camp. 

The  party  divided.  Some  of  the  mem- 
bers remained  at  the  site  and  the  others 
returned  to  the  main  groups  to  report. 
Orson  Pratt,  George  A.  Smith,  Erastus 
Snow,  John  Pack,  and  Joseph  Mat- 
thews returned.  Lyman  Curtis  and  Levi 
Jackman,  and  possibly  two  others,  re- 


LYMAN    CURTIS 

mained  at  the  permanent  camp  site. 
They  slept  on  the  present  location  of 
Salt  Lake  City  that  night  and  were  on 
the  ground  to  welcome  their  comrades 
the  next  day.  One  of  their  charges  was 
to  build  and  maintain  a  beacon  fire  to 
mark  the  chosen  site  and  to  pilot  the 
course  of  the  various  advancing  groups. 
No  sooner  had  the  returning  members 
left  them  than  Lyman  Curtis  kindled  a 
fire  of  sagebrush.  When  this  was  burn- 
ing briskly  he  piled  it  high  with  green 
sage.  From  it  rose  a  column  of  blue- 
gray  smoke  that  could  be  seen  from 
many  parts  of  the  valley.  It  was  a  wel- 
come, a  beacon  to  which  all  eyes  turned 
and  by  which  all  hearts  were  moved. 

Levi  Jackman  had  been,  at  one  time, 


LEVI  JACKMAN 

the  scribe  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith. 
He  kept  a  daily  journal  of  the  Pioneer 
journey.  The  Salt  Lake  Tribune  for 
May  7,  1897,  records: 

The  Tribune  received  a  welcome  addi- 
tion to  its  Pioneer  Library  in  the  journal  of 
1847  kept  by  Levi  Jackman,  who  faithfully 
recorded  everything  that  came  under  his 
observation.  This  book  is  one  of  the  most 
valuable  yet  found  as  a  historical  relic  .  .  . 

Lyman  Curtis  and  Levi  Jackman 
were  companions  in  the  great  Pioneer 
trek.  They  traveled  in  the  same  wagon. 
They  had  been  in  the  militia  at  Far 
West,  Missouri,  and  in  the  Nauvoo 
Legion.  Years  afterward,  when  the 
Salem  Canal  had  been  completed  by 
the  united  efforts  of  Lyman  Curtis  and 
his  associates,  thus  making  possible 
homes  for  hundreds,  Levi  Jackman 
came  and  made  his  home  at  Salem, 
Utah,  as  a  neighbor. 

Tt  seems  that  during  the  day  of  July 
22,  the  advancing  groups  did  not 
know  the  exact  whereabouts  of  the  ex- 
ploring party  and,  in  turn,  the  exploring 
party  did  not  know  the  exact  location 
of  the  various  groups.  At  the  mouth  of 
Emigration  Canyon  the  second  division 
caught  up  with  the  first  division.  The 
two  emerged  from  the  canyon  as  one 
body.  Strange  to  say,  they  turned  left 
and  traveled  southwest,  probably  over 
the  bench  land  south  of  Emigration 
Creek.  They  were  attracted  here  by  a 
beautiful  and  extended  level  area  of 
ground,  brushless  and  covered  with 
[Continued  on  page  420) 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


wm 


LAST  DAY  OF  LEAVE 
By  Gilean  Douglas 

I  shall  not  look  behind, 
But  go  with  head  held  high  and  never  see 
The  deep  shoreline  which  I  have  loved  so 

long; 
Those  current  eddies,  truculent  and  strong; 
That  big  gray  rock  which  was  a  world  to 

me — 
These  shall  not  fill  my  mind! 

But,  oh,  do  you  suppose  the  sun  has  set 
Upon  the  high  cliff  of  my  island  yet? 


i  » 


TIME'S  INTERLUDE 

By  Dariene  Bigler 
A  Young  Writer 

TIME  flies  on  ever-moving  seconds; 
It  looks  not  back,  nor  does  it  hesitate. 
For  those  who  shirk  work  undone, 
It  cannot  wait; 
But  speeds  on  and  on 
Into  the  eternity 

Taking  with  it  men  who  have  traveled  far 
And  who  have  the  will  to  travel  farther. 
They  are  the  ones  with  happiness  of 
Industry  in  store  for  them — 
Not  for  just  this  brief  interlude  of  time 
But  up   to  and  including  the  prime  of  the 
hereafter! 


LONGTEMPS 
By  Helen  Baker  Adams 

For  a  long  time  we  have  sat  in  the  sun — 
Watching  pear  blossoms  fall  from  the 

bough, 
Leaned    in    the  doorway   till   evening    had 

come 
Bringing  us  starlight  communion.  Somehow 
We    always    attended    the   migrant    birds' 

going, 
Bittersweet's   turning,    the   harvest's   bright 

moon. 
Too  long   we  have  busied  with  aimlessly 

blowing 
Frosty-white  fern  on  the  window.    At  noon 
We  watched  the  warmth  of  the  low  winter 

sun 
Pale   all   our  etchings.    We  lived   but   for 

beauty  .  .  . 
Seasons  in  glory- — but  all  that  is  done. 

Now  for  a  time  we  must  look  to  a  duty, 
Mark  time  to  war-drums.    But  gray   guns 

shall  cease 
And  Eternal  Beauty  will  shine  through  the 

Peace. 


SHOULD  I  EXPLAIN 
By  Lucretia  Penny 

When  they  come — and  some  come  still — 
To  my  little  house  at  the  edge  of  the 
hill 
And  say,  "Nice  view,  but  I'd  think,  my  dear, 
You'd  find  it  frightfully  lonely  here!" 
Should  I  explain — or  should  I  not — 
That  the  rest  of  the  world  is  the  lonely  spot, 
And  this  bit  of  earth  I  call  my  own 
Is  the  only  unlonely  place  I've  known? 

JULY,  1943 


OLD   COWMAN 
By  Lydia  Hall 

BY  the  side  of  the  house  he  sits, 
His  head  bared  to  the  sun; 
His  back  is  bent;  his  hands  are  rough 
From  work  that  he  has  done. 

He  sees  beyond  the  city's  dust 

The  rock-bound  lands  that  lie 
Where  the  sky  seems  to  touch  the  earth, 

And  the  earth  touch  the  sky. 

He  sees  the  herds  of  cattle,  and 

The  trails  he  used  to  ride, 
The  dark  forms  of  the  scented  pines 

Where  canyon  walls  are  wide. 

He  holds  close  to  his  heart  the  scenes 

That  memory  distills, 
The  sweetness  and  the  splendor  of 
The  meadows  of  the  hills. 


^•s 


THE  SACRED  GROVE 
By  John  J.  Shank 

TN  one  such  hour  one  hundred  years  ago 
*  The    Grove    held    other  light    than   sun 

that  he 
Who    stood     among     the     reaching     trees 

might  see 
Beyond   the  pale  wherein   earth's   children 

grow, 
Might  know  the  soil  of  Zion  and  the  way 
Of   grace  for  careless   generations   here, 
Experience  God,   exalt,   and  fear, 
And  reinstate  the  Church  of  Jesus'  day. 

The    Saints   of   latter-year,   here   met   with 

love 
And  honor  for  the  earth's  degree  of  man, 
Pursue   the  virtuous  promise  birth  began 
Of  life  risen  higher  than  the  ultimate  dove; 
And    shattered    sunshine     mottles      glades 

around 
The    while   they,    singing,    tread     on    holy 

ground. 


WHERE  WINDOWS  LOOK 
By  Ethelyn  Miller  Hartwich 

Cliff  dwellers  had  no  windows,  so  they 
say, 
And  city-men,  who  live  on  a  brick-walled 

way, 
May   never   gaze   where   greening    valleys 

roll; 
Yet  eyes  may  claim  the  stars'  cool  diadem, 
And  each  may  choose  the  windows  of  his 
soul 
Forever  looking    toward  Jerusalem. 


ALL  IN  A  DAY 
By  Alice  Whitson  Norton 

Tonight  I  took  my  mending  basket  down 
And  gazed  with  awe  at  socks  of  red  and 
brown 
With  jagged  holes  in  ankle,  heel,  and  toe, 
And  pondered  in  my  soul  how  these  could 

grow, 
Remembering,  but  yesterday  with  yarn 
Another  batch  of  socks  I'd  had  to  darn. 

And  then  I  thought  of  gay,  capricious  Anne, 
Of  Joseph's  manly  stride,  and  skipping  Dan, 
And  all  the  steps  they  made—the  fun  they 

had, 
The  countless  things  they  did  to  make  me 

glad, 
Their  bodies,  perfect  specimens,  and  strong, 
The  house  vibrating  daily  with  glad  song. 
Then  joyously  above  the  mass  I  bent 
And  patiently  began  to  mend  a  rent. 


HOMESICK 
(A  Song  of  the  Mountains) 

By  Brownie  Underhill 

THE  mountains  are  calling  me,  calling  me 
homeward 
With  pictures  from  memory  of  cool  canyons 

deep 
And  the  motion  of  trees  in  the  pine-scented 

breezes. 
With  a  song  in  my  heart  a  long  promise  I 
keep. 

Odors  of  sagebrush  are  pungently  drifting, 
Echoes  resound,  making  rocky  cliffs  ring; 
Living  is  joyous  again  in  the  mountains — 
Happiness  only  the  home  hills  can  bring. 

■'  :  i       '.  :  «  ■' 

Dear  mountain  peaks!    There  is  strength  in 

your  beauty.  i  • 

Gay  splashing  streams!   You  are  near!.  You 

are  near! 
Song   of  the   hills,   fill   my  soul  with  your 

music. 
Land  of  my  dreams!    I  am  here!    I  am  here! 


NO  SKY  SO  LOUD 
By  Eva  Willes  Wangsgaard 

Yon  could  not;  tell  to  walk  the  whitened 
drive 
How   firmly   roots   take   hold    beneath    the 

snow; 
How  full  of  strength  a  seed  is,  how  alive 
To  every  element  that  helps  it  grow. 
And  yet,  when  April  penetrates  this  ice 
And  pours  a   liquid  swiftness    gutterward, 
Carnations  will  release  their  clove-rich  spice 
Where    now   no    petal    blows,    no   leaf    is 

stirred. 
Above  the  noisy  wings  that  fret  the  sky, 
Beneath  the  blackened  craters  soaked  with 

pain, 
The  seeds  of  peace,  the  roots  of  justice,  lie 
As  through  the  darkness  seeds  have  always 

lain. 
No  sky  so  loud,  no  crusted  drift  so  deep, 
But  summer  finds  the  small  seeds  where  they 

sleep. 

411 


MISSIONARY  M-^  CHURCH 


JIml  dfaafutt  jO^.  (bwthstiv  "£ajol'  %swv 


20,000  Subscriptions  in  1933  to 
80*000  Subscriptions  in  1943 

That  is  the  record  of  the  growth  of 
The  Improvement  Era  in  the  last 
decade.  The  four  hundred  percent 
increase  is  the  remarkable  achievement 
of  a  vast  group  of  loyal  men  and  women 
who  work  unselfishly  in  the  wards  and 
stakes  of  the  Church  to  carry  the  maga- 
zine into  the  homes  of  Latter-day  Saints 
everywhere. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  find  in  the 
Church  greater  loyalty  and  devotion  to 
duty  than  that  manifested  by  Era  work- 
ers who  have  made  possible  the  great 
advancement  of  The  Improvement  Era 
each  year.  Presidents  of  stakes,  stake 
high  councilmen,  bishops  of  wards, 
stake  board  members,  ward  board  mem- 
bers, under  the  guidance  of  stake  and 
ward  Era  directors,  have  all  cooperated 
in  an  enthusiastic  plan  to  reach  the  ulti- 
mate goal  set  forth  by  President  Grant 
— "An  Era  in  every  home." 

The  record  of  the  past  year's  activi- 
ty JLs  a  success  story  which  has  few 
equals.  Volumes  could  be  written  on 
the  initiative  and  accomplishments  of 
individual  stakes  and  wards  throughout 
the  Church.  We  could  tell  how  many 
wards  and  stakes  used  elaborate  dis- 
plays of  charts  and  banners  showing 
progress  of  the  campaign,  how  other 
stakes  and  wards  have  put  on  parties 
and  dinners  and  entertainments  in  or- 
der to  create  enthusiasm  and  enjoyment 
in  their  work.  We  could  tell  how 
splendid  ward  leaders  have  had  the 
vision  to  realize  how  helpful  the  Era 
could  be  to  boys  in  the  armed  services, 
and  how  they  have  found  ways  to  place 
the  Era  in  the  hands  of  every  single  boy 
leaving  the  ward.  They  have  done  this 
with  the  conviction  that  the  Era  can  and 
will  be  not  only  a  great  source  of  en- 
tertainment and  enjoyable  reading,  but 
also  a  great  source  of  comfort  and 
strength.  Thousands  of  subscriptions 
have  been  received  and  the  magazine 
is  now  being  sent  to  service  men  in 
every  part  of  the  world. 

The  story  comes  back  how  a  soldier 
walking  into  a  barber  shop  in  Egypt 
found  an  Improvement  Era  among  the 
other  magazines.  Other  stories  have 
been  received  telling  how  the  Era  is 
passed  around  from  one  boy  to  another 
and  how  the  strength  and  vitality  of  the 
message  carries  over  into  the  lives  of 
members  and  non-members  alike.  The 
missionary  spirit,  the  loyalty  and  devo- 
tion of  our  large  group  of  Era  workers 
throughout  the  wards  and  stakes  and 
missions  of  the  Church  are  responsible 
for  this  accomplishment. 

Twenty  stakes  and  four  missions  are 
the  citation  winners  of  this  year's  cam- 
paign. 

412 


■^[orthern  States  Mission  led  all 
™  the  stakes  and  missions  of  the 
Church  in  percentage  of  quota  during 
the  past  year,  and  finally  ended  the 
campaign  with  the  remarkable  percent- 
age of  637.3  percent  of  its  quota.  This 
mission  turned  in  2,180  subscriptions. 
The  work  in  the  Northern  States  Mis- 
sion was  directed  by  President  Leo  }. 
Muir  himself,  who  for  years  has  been  an 
ardent  supporter  of  The  Improvement 
Era.  President  Muir  has  made  it  a 
matter  of  habit  to  lead  in  Era  work. 
During  those  years  when  he  was  presi- 


By  JOHN  K.  ORTON 

Business  Manager  of  the  "Era" 


dent  of  the  Los  Angeles  Stake,  which 
is  now  the  South  Los  Angeles  Stake, 
that  stake  caught  the  spirit  of  Era  work 
and  has  remained  consistently  at  the 
top  year  after  year.  President  Muir 
was  ably  sustained  in  his  mission  by 
Elder  Fred  C.  Wolters,  who  worked 
untiringly  and  deserves  a  great  deal  of 


MISSIONS,  PERCENTAGE  OF  QUOTA,  GROUP  "B" 

NORTHERN   STATES   MISSION — President   Leo  J.    Muir;     Fred    C.   Wolters,   Jr.,    campaign    manager; 
Phyllis  Gene  Jensen,  Herman  R.  Carpenter,  June  Jenkins,  campaign  aides. 

MISSIONS,  TOTAL  NUMBER  OF  SUBSCRIPTIONS,  GROUP  "B" 
SOUTHERN  STATES  MISSION — President  William  P.  Whitaker;    Jack  N.  Anderson,  publicity  chairman; 
Lucille  Mortenson,  Y.W.M.I.A.  supervisor;    Leo  C.  Merkley,  campaign  manager. 

MISSIONS,   PERCENTAGE  OF  QUOTA,  GROUP  "A" 

EASTERN  STATES  MISSION— President  Gustave  A.   Iverson;    J.   Robert  Anderson,  Y.M.M.I.A.  "Era" 
director;    Edith  Laub,  assistant  "Era"   director. 

MISSIONS,  TOTAL  NUMBER  OF  SUBSCRIPTIONS,  GROUP  "A" 

CALIFORNIA    MISSION— President    Elijah    Allen;     R.    Melviln    Rowley,   Y.M.M.I.A.    supervisor;     Emily 
Shurtliff,  Y.W.M.I.A.  supervisor;  Vernie  C.  Swenson,  Y.M.M.I.A.  "Era"   director. 

THE   IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


credit  for  the  success  achieved.  Credit 
also  goes  to  the  other  missionaries  for 
their  support  and  cooperation  and  de- 
votion to  duty. 

Southern  States  Mission,  like  North- 
ern States,  achieved  a  record  this  year 
almost  beyond  comprehension.  This 
mission,  under  the  direction  of  Presi- 
dent William  P.  Whitaker,  turned  in 
more  subscriptions  than  any  other  stake 
or  mission  in  the  entire  Church  and  es- 
tablished a  total  number  of  subscrip- 
tions which  has  never  been  equaled — 


2,978  subscriptions.  President  Whit- 
aker, whose  energy  knows  no  limits, 
organized  his  missionaries,  branches, 
and  Sunday  School  organizations  into 
a  great  group  of  Improvement  Era 
workers.  And  each  missionary  and 
each  worker  in  the  branch  and  Sunday 
School  organization  found  joy  and  hap- 
piness in  their  labors.  President  Whit- 
aker is  a  true  missionary  and  his  spirit 
of  humility  has  been  a  guiding  light  in 
his  mission.  Under  President  Whita- 
ker's  supervision,  Areola  Larsen,  Lucille 


GROUP  "B,"   PERCENTAGE  OF  QUOTA 

SOUTH  LOS  ANGELES  STAKE— President  John  M.  Iverson;  Reo  Ellsworth,  superintendent,  Y.M.M.I.A.; 
Verda  I.  Ord,  president  of  Y.W.M.I.A.;  Noble  Waite,  regional  campaign  manager;  George  A.  Baker,  regionar 
campaign   manager. 

LOS  ANGELES  STAKE— President  Wilford  G.  Edling;  Mervin  L.  Saunders,  superintendent,  Y.M.M.I.A.; 
Mona  H.  Kirkham,  president  of  Y.W.M.I.A.  and  acting  "Era"  director. 

LONG  BEACH  STAKE— President  C.  Douglas  Barnes;  Goldwyn  Cluff,  superintendent,  Y.M.M.I.A.;  Rhoda 
Hinckley,  president  of  Y.W.M.I.A.;  Henry  Andrus,  Y.M.M.I.A.  "Era"  director;  Frances  A.  Soffe, 
Y.W.M.I.A.  "Era"  director. 

SNOWFLAKE  STAKE— President   David  A.  Butler;    LeRoy  A.  Palmer 
photo  available);    Melba    Flake,   Y.W.M.I.A.   president;    James   M.    Flake, 
Augusta  Flake,  Y.W.M.I.A.  "Era"  director. 

MARICOPA  STAKE — President  Lorenzo  Wright;  Rulon  T.  Shepherd,  Y.M.M.I.A.  superintendent;  Lucelle 
R.  Taylor,  president  of  Y.W.M.I.A.;  Ned  Newell,  Y.M.M.I.A.  "Era"  director;  Helen  E.  Coleman, 
Y.W.M.I.A.  "Era"  director. 

JULY,  1943 


Y.M.M.I.A.  superintendent    (no 
Era"    director  for  Y.M.M.I.A.; 


Mortenson,  and  Jack  Anderson  ably  di- 
rected Era  sales  in  the  Southern  States 
Mission. 

California  Mission,  among  the  small- 
er missions  of  the  Church  known  as 
Group  "A,"  led  all  the  missions  in  that 
group  in  total  number  of  subscriptions. 
Their  final  record  was  961.  The  work 
in  this  mission,  where  Elijah  Allen  is 
president,  was  conducted  by  Elder 
Vernie  Swensen,  a  very  capable  mis- 
sionary and  Era  director.  Serving  a  vast 
territory,  the  California  Mission  se- 
cured 363  percent  of  its  quota.  The 
most  remarkable  achievement  in  the  en- 
tire Church  was  made  by  the  Barstow 
Branch,  of  this,  mission.  With  a  quota 
of  four,  this  branch  turned  in  118  sub- 
scriptions, which  is  2950  percent  of  its 
quota.  Members  in  Barstow,  with 
President  Lamarr  E.  Hadley  at  their 
head,  made  the  work  a  city-wide  proj- 
ect, ■  ■  ■    ....->5    |f. 

Eastern  States  Mission  led  all  small- 
er missions  of  the  Church  in  percentage 
of  quota  and  was  second  among  all 
stakes  and  missions  of  the  Church  with 
their  449.2  percent.  President  Iverson 
gave  much  of  his  time  and  effort  to  this 
splendid  accomplishment,  and  Elder  J. 
Robert  Anderson  directed  the  work 
with  great  efficiency. 

South  Los  Angeles  Stake  led  all  the 
stakes  of  the  Church  this  year  in  per- 
centage of  quota.  Each  year  South 
Los  Angeles  waits  complacently  for  the 
campaign  to  near  its  close  and  approxi- 
mately thirty  days  before  the  end  of 
the  campaign  an  organization  is  ef- 
fected which  accomplishes  almost  un- 
believable results.  Their  record  for 
this  year  is  407.5  percent,  to  place  them 
first  among  all  the  stakes  of  the  Church. 
Era  work  in  South  Los  Angeles  Is  un- 
der the  direction  of  George  A.  Baker,  a 
member  of  the  stake  presidency.  John 
M.  Iverson  is  stake  president.  Brother 
Baker  is  a  master  in  leadership  and  or- 
ganization and  even  though  the  cam- 
paign is  carried  on  for  thirty  days  only, 
this  stake  has  constantly  been  at  the  top 
for  many,  many  years.  The  organizing 
effort  behind  the  work  in  South  Los 
Angeles  brings  hundreds  of  ward  mem- 
bers into  service,  and  each  one's  part, 
while  only  small,  is  effective  and  enables 
them  to  establish  this  remarkable  rec- 
ord. 

Seattle  Stake  for  many  years  past 
and  again  this  year  leads  all  the  stakes 
in  Group  "A"  in  percentage  of  quota 
with  324  percent.  The  work  in  Seat- 
tle Stake  is  directed  by  Leslie  Seal. 
Brother  Seal,  like  Brother  Baker,  is 
able  to  effect  an  organization  in  his 
stake  which  invariably  carries  Seattle 
to  the  top.  The  ward  bishops  and  ward 
members  support  him  and  take  pride  in 
placing  the  Era  in  every  home. 

Ogden  Stake  this  year  led  all  other 
stakes  of  the  Church  in  total  number  of 
subscriptions — 1894  was  their  final  rec- 
ord. The  work  in  the  Ogden  Stake 
was  directed  by  Melvin  L.  Swenson. 
This  splendid  director  worked  con- 
sistently from  the  day  the  Era  campaign 
opened  until  it  closed  on  April  21.  He 
worked  with  his  ward  workers,  kept 
(Continued  on  page  432) 

413 


M  tMCH  MS  Ml 


Sylvester  Q.  Cannon  Passes 

"Collowing  a  serious  illness  of  several 
months,  death  came  May  29  to  Elder 
Sylvester  Q.  Cannon,  65,  of  the  Coun- 
cil of  the  Twelve.  An  article  to  be  pub- 
lished in  the  Era  will  pay  tribute 
to  Elder  Cannon's  long  service  in  the 
Church  as  apostle,  presiding  bishop, 
mission  president,  stake  president,  and 
to  his  distinguished  career  in  the  en- 
gineering profession  and  numerous  civic 
appointments.  (See  also  page  416.) 

Washington  Stake  Good  Will 

A  copy  of  a  program  recently  pre- 
"^  sented  by  members  of  the  Wash- 
ington, D.C.,  Stake  at  the  Cheverly 
Community  Church,  Maryland,  has 
been  received  from  Ezra  T.  Benson, 
stake  president,  as  a  sample  of  numer- 
ous invitations  issued  the  Church  in 
the  nation's  capital  to  participate  in  the 
services  of  other  churches.  Members  of 
the  stake  mission  are  found  filling  good 
will  speaking  engagements  weekly. 

Among  those  who  took  part  in  the 
Cheverly  program  was  Mrs.  Reed 
Smoot,  wife  of  the  late  Senator  Reed 
Smoot,  former  member  of  the  Council 
of  the  Twelve. 

O.P.A.  and  Church  Canning 

Approval  of  the  Church  program  of 
^^  permitting  members  to  utilize  Wel- 
fare program  canneries  during  periods 
when  the  facilities  are  not  required  for 
Welfare  work  has  been  expressed  by 
H.  Grant  Ivins,  Utah  director  for  the 
Office  of  Price  Administration. 

In  Utah  no  ration  points  will  be  col- 
lected from  such  community  groups 
providing  their  own  produce  and  doing 
their  own  work,  and  sugar  will  be  avail- 
able to  them  on  individual  application 
of  the  participants.     Mr.  Ivins  said: 

This  program  is  entirely  in  line  with  the 
spirit  as  well  as  the  letter  of  the  O.P.A. 
home  canning  regulations.  It  is  the  desire 
of  our  government  war  agencies  to  assure 
maximum  preservation  of  food.  .  .  . 

Church  History  Finds 

Through  the  collecting  hobby  of. 
Wilford  C.  Wood,  the  Church  His- 
torian's Office  recently  received  several 
items  of  unusual  interest  in  Church  his- 
tory. 

Of  special  worth  is:  a  bill  for  lodging 
guards  at  the  Mansion  House  in  Nau- 
voo, made  out  by  Emma  Smith,  wife  of 
the  Prophet.  This  letter  bears  the  date 
of  June  27,  1844,  the  day  of  the  martyr- 
dom of  Joseph  and  Hyrunl  Smith  in 
Carthage  Jail.  In  this  bill  Emma  Smith 
addresses  General  Dunn  and  Captain 
Singleton  and  sends  bills  for  the 
amounts  of  forty-five  and  fifty-three 
dollars  "for  dinners,  breakfast,  supper, 
lodgings  and  feed  for  horses  of  40  men, 
46  men,  30  men,  10  horses,  etc."  To 
this  she  attached  the  following  note,  ad- 
dressed to  General  Dunn: 
414 


Dear  Sir: 

I  herewith  send  a  bill  of  board  for  the 
police  and  guards  which  was  had  during 
their  stay  in  Nauvoo.  I  will  esteem  it  a 
favor  if  you  will  dispose  of  it  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  secure  me  the  amount  soon, 
for  I  am  very  much  in  need  of  it.  I  am, 
dear  sir,  yours  respectfully, 

Emma  Smith. 

A  search  of  the  Church  Historians 
office  reveals  that  there  is  no  other 
signature  of  Emma  Smith  in  the  Church 
archives,  increasing  the  value  of  this 
latest  find. 

Another  letter  in  the  collection  is  ad- 
dressed to  Major  L.  C.  Bidamon,  who 
later  became  the  husband  of  Emma 
Smith,  from  his  brother.  It  contains 
some  interesting  facts  relative  to  the 
gathering  of  the  mobs  who  opposed  the 
Saints  in  Nauvoo. 

There  is  also  an  ivory  whip  handle, 
said  to  have  belonged  to  the  Prophet  Jo- 
seph. 

Also  included  in  the  collection  is  a 
book  of  poems  by  David  Smith,  son  of 
the  Prophet.  The  earliest  date  noted 
in  the  book  is  April  9,  1865.  Five  of 
the  poems  included  are  marked  as  hav- 
ing been  previously  published.  All  of 
the  poems  are  complete. 

Elder  Wood  obtained  these  items 
from  Sara  Luce  of  Germantown,  Ten- 
nessee. 

Church  of  the  Air  Participation 

"Dy  invitation  of  the  Columbia  Broad- 
*-*  casting  System,  the  Church  will  be 
represented  Sunday,  July  1 1 ,  on  the  net- 
work's Church  of  the  Air.  Marion  G. 
Romney,  assistant  to  the  Council  of  the 
Twelve,  will  speak.  Subject  of  his  ad- 
dress will  be,  "When  Shall  We  Have 
Freedom  and  Peace?"  The  Tabernacle 
Choir  and  Organ  will  also  be  heard  on 
the  program,  which  will  originate  from 
the  Tabernacle  over  radio  station  KSL 
in  Salt  Lake  City  at  10:30  M.W.T.  im- 
mediately following  the  choir's  regular 
weekly  national  broadcast. 

Tabernacle  Broadcast  Time 

nP'HE  weekly  Tabernacle  choir  and 
organ  program  heard  over  the 
Columbia  Broadcasting  System  has 
been  advanced  one-half  hour,  and  will 
now  be  heard  from  10:00  to  10:30  a.m., 
M.W.T.  The  change  was  effective 
June  6. 

Service  men  or  women  in  uniform 
desiring  to  attend  the  broadcast  must  be 
at  the  Tabernacle  fifteen  minutes  be- 
fore the  time  of  the  broadcast. 

Primary  "Mail  Convention" 

A  "convention  by  mail"  to  replace 
■^  the  usual  convention  held  during 
June,  which  has  been  canceled  for  the 
duration,  will  be  conducted  by  the  Pri- 
mary Association  during  August. 


Urgent:  Winter  Coal  Supply 

An  urgent  appeal  is  being  made  by 
"V*  government  officials,  coal  pro- 
ducers, the  railroads,  and  coal  dealers 
for  all  churches,  schools,  public  build- 
ings, homes,  and  all  those  who  use  coal 
as  a  fuel  to  store  their  winter's  supply 
now.  Immediate  action  should  be 
taken. 

For  the  use  of  bishops,  concerned 
with  their  chapel  fuel  supply,  the  Pre- 
siding Bishop's  Office  has  prepared  sug- 
gestions on  coal  storage.  Bishops  may 
receive  copies  on  request. 

New  York  Stake  Food  Program 

HP  he  following  quotation  from  The 
Skyline,  New  York  Stake  bulletin, 
over  the  signature  of  the  stake  presi- 
dency indicates  what  Saints  in  urban 
centers  can  do  about  food : 

As  a  group  we  are  facilitating  the  pro- 
curement of  cans  (bottles  are  generally  to 
be  had ) ,  a  few  pressure  cookers,  dehydrat- 
ors,  containers,  and  a  few  grinding  mills; 
and  the  wholesale  purchase  in  season  of 
vegetables  and  fruits  for  preserving,  and  of 
wheat. 

We  hope  that  at  the  end  of  this  fall,  as 
a  group,  we  will  have  twice  as  much  home- 
processed  food  as  we  had  last  year: 

— that  where  space  is  at  a  premium  we 
will  have,  in  cellophane  envelopes,  in  bags, 
cartons  or  boxes,  dehydrated  fruits  and 
spinach,  chard,  etc.,  designed  to  supple- 
ment a  diet  otherwise  mostly  of  staples; 

— that  we  will  have  stored  in  good  con- 
tainers two  or  three  bushels  per  capita  of 
fumigated  dry  wheat  and  other  staples  con- 
sistent with  rationing  regulations; 

— that  families  will  be  making  much 
more  use  of  home  ground  flour  and  cereal; 

— and  that  all  will  have  shifted  to  more 
careful  eating  practices  designed  to  main- 
tain strength  and  good  health  through  a 
protracted  period  when  food  may  be  ex- 
pected to  be  somewhat  scarce  and  at  times 
seriously  so.  We  also  counsel  the  provi- 
sion of  bedding  and  clothing  designed  to 
withstand  periods  of  fuel  shortage  with  re- 
sulting cold  homes  and  apartments. 

As  footnote,  there  may  be  added  this 
line  from  the  stake  Welfare  commit- 
tee, which  has  undertaken  to  supply  the 
labor  for  a  large  vegetable  farm  and 
orchard  at  Northport,  Long  Island : 

Dozens  of  Welfare  gardens  are  being 
planted  throughout  the  stake.  Shaking 
hands  on  Sunday  may  be  rubbing  "blister 
to  blister,"   but  spirits  will  be  high. 

Genealogical  Memberships 

7V  notice  issued  by  Joseph  Fielding 
•  Smith,  president,  and  Archibald  F. 
Bennett,  secretary,  of  the  Genealogical 
Society  of  Utah,  advises  that  every 
Church  member  desiring  to  become  a 
member  of  the  Society  will  hereafter 
be  required  to  submit  with  his  applica- 
tion for  membership,  either  annual  or 
life,  a  written  character  recommend 
from  his  bishop. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


"RECREATION  IN  THE  HOME" 

Students  at  the  Star  Valley  Seminary,  Afton,  Wyo- 
ming, have  planned  and  conducted  their  own  social 
activities  within  the  seminary  during  the  school  year. 
They  have  frequently  presented  sacrament  meeting  pro- 
grams and  followed  them  with  Firesides  after  the 
pattern  of  the  M.I. A.  Principal  Ray  L.  Jones  sees  this 
self-directed   activity  as   practical    leadership  training. 

Student  officers  are  shown  here  with  the  booklet, 
"Recreation  in  the  Home,"  Church  publication,  which 
they  consulted  regularly  in  planning  their  seminary 
social  program.  They  are,  left  to  right,  Darrell  Hoopes, 
Dale  Call,  Delworth  Gardner,  Dawna  Pringle,  Phyllis 
Chadwick,  and  Jeanne  Stock. 


*Y'  President  at  Food  Parley  for  Iran 

JT\r.  Franklin  S.  Harris,  president  of 
■  Brigham  Young  University  went  to 
the  international  food  conference  at 
Hot  Springs,  Virginia,  in  mid-May  at 
the  invitation  of  the  government  of 
Iran. 

Other  delegates  representing  Iran 
(Persia)  were  the  Persian  minister  in 
Washington,  D.C.,  and  two  Iran  trade 
commissioners  in  New  York  City. 

Liberty  Ship  "Joseph  Smith" 

■HThe  S.  5.  Joseph  Smith  was  launched 
at  Richmond,  California,  on  May 
22,  as  part  of  the  Maritime  Day  observ- 
ances in  the  San  Francisco  Bay  area. 

President  Eugene  Hilton  of  the  Oak- 
land Stake  and  President  Howard  S. 
McDonald  of  the  San  Francisco  Stake 
represented  the  Church  and  spoke 
briefly  at  the  ceremonies.  Music  was 
furnished  by  the  Richmond  Ward 
Choir. 

On  August  17,  1942,  the  S.  S.  Brig- 
ham  Young,  another  Liberty  Ship,  was 
launched  in  southern  California. 

Sugar  House  Stake 

Cugar  House,  one  hundred  forty- 
*-'  fourth  in  the  Church's  roll  call  of 
stakes,  was  organized  May  16,  by  a 
division  of  the  Highland  Stake. 

Thomas  M.  Wheeler,  former  first 
counselor  in  the  Highland  Stake  presi- 
dency, was  sustained  as  president  of  the 
new  Sugar  House  Stake,  with  Mark  E. 
Petersen  and  Bishop  Casper  H.  Parker 
of  the  Edgehill  Ward  as  counselors. 
Elder  Petersen  was  released  from  the 
Sunday  School  general  board  to  become 
first  counselor. 

At  the  same  time  the  Mountain  View 
Ward  was  formed  from  parts  of  the 
Parley's  and  the  Edgehill  wards.  Paul 
A.  Newmeyer  was  sustained  as  bishop. 

President  Stayner  Richards  was  re- 
tained as  president  of  the  Highland 
Stake,  with  Carl  C.  Burton,  former  sec- 
ond counselor,  sustained  as  first  coun- 
selor, and  Bishop  Franklin  J.  Murdock 


vS:f 


of  the  Parley's  Ward  as  second  coun- 
selor. Jay  Eldredge  is  the  new  bishop 
of  Parley's  Ward. 

Wards  in  the  Sugar  House  Stake 
include  the  Edgehill,  Wasatch,  Sugar 
House,  Emerson,  Bryan,  and  Mountain 
View  wards. 

Wards  remaining  in  the  Highland 
Stake  are  the  Stratford,  Highland  Park, 
Parley's,  Imperial,  and  Park  Avenue 
wards. 

Logan  Institute  Director 

I"*\r.  Daryl  Chase  was  recently  ap- 
*-^  pointed  director  of  the  Institute  of 
Religion  at  the  Utah  State  Agricultural 
College,  Logan,  by  Dr.  Franklin  L. 
West,  Church  commissioner  of  educa- 
tion. He  succeeds  Dr.  Thomas  C. 
Romney,  who  is  retiring  after  directing 
affairs  of  that  Institute  for  fourteen 
years,  in  which  time  it  has  become  the 
largest  Institute  of  Religion  operated 
by  the  Church. 

San  Diego  Service  Men's  Center 

Can  Diego  Stake's  new  reception 
center  for  L.D.S.  service  men  was 
opened  May  21  at  the  North  Park 
Ward,  3715  Tenth  Street,  San  Diego, 
according  to  Chaplain  John  W.  Boud, 
Jr.,  of  the  11th  Naval  District. 

Meetings  for  service  men  in  addition 
to  those  announced  in  the  May  Era  are 
now  also  being  conducted  at  the  U.S. 
Naval  Air  Station,  North  Island,  on 
Monday  at  6:00  p.m.,  Chaplain's  Of- 
fice, Room  2;  and  at  the  U.S.  Marine 


MISSIONARIES  ENTERING   THE 

MISSIONARY    HOME    MAY    17, 

1943,  AND   LEAVING   MAY  22, 

1943 

Left  to  right:  Elizabeth  H. 
Clark,  Director  Don  B.  Colton, 
Eunice  J.  Hadley,  James  A.  Ott, 
and  Frances  Jo  Wadsworth. 

Mrs.  Clark  and  Mrs.  Hadley 
are  going  out  to  join  their  hus- 
bands, already  in  the  field. 


Corps  Aviation  Training  Base,  Kear> 
ney  Mesa,  on  Tuesday  at  6:30  p.m., 
Warehouse  7. 

Relief  Society  Board  Member 

Agnes  M.  Bolto,  president  of  the 
■r*  Granite  Stake  Relief  Societies,  has 
been  appointed  to  the  Relief  Society 
general  board. 

Bishops,  Presiding  Elders 

"Durley  First  Ward,  Burley  Stake, 
*-*  Earnest  R.  Blauer  succeeds  Levi  Earl 
Oliverson. 

Springdale  Ward,  Burley  Stake,  Wesley 
L.  Hurst  succeeds  Gareld  S.  Marchant. 

Willard  Ward,  Box  Elder  Stake,  Apollos 
B.  Taylor  succeeds  J.  Wesley  Perry. 

McGill  Ward,  Nevada  Stake,  J.  Leo 
Beckwith  sustained  acting  bishop  to  suc- 
ceed Eugene  T.  Lewis. 

Inkom  Ward,  Pocatello  Stake,  William 
Keith  Clark  succeeds  LaVern  Cornwall. 

Eden  Ward,  St.  Joseph  Stake,  Albert 
Carpenter  succeeds  Walter  P.  Haggard. 

Fourteenth  Ward,  Salt  Lake  Stake,  Ed- 
win J.  Cowley  succeeds  Joseph  E.  Richards. 

Farming  ton  Ward,  South  Davis  Stake, 
Gordon  H.  Van  Fleet  succeeds  John  E. 
Walsh. 

Eureka  Ward,  Santaquin-Tintic  Stake, 
Marvin  Milton  Witt  succeeds  Clarence  G. 
Hogan. 

Victor  Ward,  Teton  Stake,  Francis  C. 
Gillette  succeeds  J.  Delos  Lauritzen. 

Emmett  Ward,  Weiser  Stake,  Clifton 
Isaac  Laney  succeeds  Heber  Beutler. 

Logan  Sixth  Ward,  Logan  Stake,  Aubrey 
H.  Parker  succeeds  Fred  B.  Baugh. 

Logan  Twelfth  Ward,  Logan  Stake,  Wil- 
liam I.  Owen  succeeds  J.  A.  Meservy, 

River  Heights  Ward,  Logan  Stake,  Leo 
H.  Barfuss  succeeds  Lewis  J.  Bowen. 

Mountain  Home  Ward,  Moon  Lake 
Stake,  Lorin  Stevenson  succeeds  E.  Rue 
Miles. 

Vermillion  Ward,  North  Sevier  Stake, 
Sidney  Bastian  succeeds  Claude  B.  Payne. 

Eden  Ward,  Ogden  Stake,  Leonard  Full- 
er succeeds  Charles  Alex  Hogge. 

Spanish  Fork  Fifth  Ward,  Palmyra 
Stake,  John  F.  Warner  succeeds  Arthur  T. 
McKell. 


JULY,  1943 


Independent  Branch 

A^vondale  Branch,  Phoenix   Stake,, 
was  organized  on  April  18. 

{Concluded  on  page  447)' 

415 


jtA 


£dihfiLaL 


SylvsL&i&h.  Q.  QannofL 

Cylvester  Q.  Cannon  lived  a  full  life.  That 
mitigates  the  grief  of  his  apparently  untimely 
passing. 

He  was  of  noble  pioneer  stock.  His  clear  and 
vigorous  intellect,  operating  in  many  fields,  was 
highly  trained.  His  capacity  and  devotion  were  ex- 
emplified by  his  superior  work  in  engineering,  in 
business,  and  in  Church  work. 

With  his  capable,  devoted  wife,  and  their  sons 
and  daughters,  he  lived  an  ideal  family  life.  The 
children  were  taught  high  ideals,  and  were  trained 
for  worthy,  effective  living. 

The  record  of  his  Church  service  is  enviable.  As 
missionary,  mission  president,  stake  president, 
presiding  bishop,  and  apostle,  he  was  dependable, 
progressive,  always  conscious  of  the  great  spiritual 
possessions  and  the  divine  destiny  of  the  restored 
Church  of  Christ, 

He  touched  life  at  many  points  and  always  well. 

The  Church  will  miss  his  wise  counsels,  his 
steady  pointing  to  the  right,  his  fearless  defense  of 
truth,  his  kindly  guidance  of  the  helpless. 

Why  he  was  taken  now  we  do  not  understand. 
We  must  not  question  the  ways  of  God. 

We  pray  that  his.  wife  and  children  may  find  the 
comfort  that  alone  can  come  from  the  Lord. 

Sylvester  Q.  Cannon,  in  that  nearby  world,  still 
lives  and  labors> 

Blessed  be  his  •memory! — /.  A.  W. 

Sohstfanq,  pwwL  thsL  Ji/t&t 
QjiaiijqhiA.  £>£.  Tbiw  JtnowkdgsL 

Tt  has  sometimes  been  thought  that  a  man  of  sci- 
ence— one  who  had  read  in  the  rocks  of  the 
earth,  things  which,  to  some,  in  our  limited  under- 
standing, have  seemed  to  be  in  conflict  with  biblical 
statement — was  a  man  in  whom  no  faith  could  be 
expected — that  he  who  probed  into  the  unknown 
realm  of  the  physical  universe  was  necessarily 
atheistic  or  agnostic — a  man  who  couldn't  reconcile 
the  reality  of  a  living,  personal  God  with  his  ob- 
servations as  a  scientist.  It  is  true  there  are  many 
such  who  must  plead  guilty  to  having  become  en- 
grossed in  the  design  while  forgetting  the  Designer 
- — men  who,  having  observed  all  manner  of  unex- 
plained wonders,  'have,  focused  attention  on  the 
creation,  forgetting  the  Creator. 

The  investigator  in  the  field  of  pure  science  is 
apt  to  go  through  many  phases  of  doubt  and  belief 
in  his  groping  for  more  light,  but  the  mature  con- 
victions of  these  searchers-into-the-unknown  in- 
evitably lead  to  a  recognition  of  the  power  of  God, 
no  matter  by  what  name  they  choose  to  call  it.  And 
thoughtful  and  highly  intelligent  scholars,  having 
sobered  from  the, drunkenness  that  came  with  the 
first  draughts  ofV  new  knowledge,  have  come  to 
know  again  that,  from  the  most  minute  measure  of 
energy  to  the  largest  known  structure  of  matter, 
we  do  not  and  cannot  understand  what  is  behind  it 
all  except  in  terms  of  an  all-embracing  superior  in- 
telligence^— a  conclusion  which  stimulates  faith  even 


// 


in  the  minds  of  some  who  have  once  been  ashamed 
of  faith. 

There  is  no  one  who  has  sincerely  pursued  the 
search  for  truth,  religious  or  scientific,  physical  or 
spiritual,  but  who  knows  that  beyond  lie  infinite 
worlds  yet  to  be  discovered,  and  infinite  truths 
yet  to  be  revealed.  And  so,  great  minds  are  becom- 
ing proud  of  their  faith  and  humble  in  their  dis- 
covery of  God.  And  when  all  the  superficialities 
of  our  thinking  have  faded  away,  when  all  of  our 
quibbling  about  definitions  has  been  settled,  and 
when  all  of  our  confusion  about  terminology  has 
been  reconciled,  we  may  come  together  some- 
where along  the  journey  ahead,  knowing  that  our 
seemingly  fundamental  differences  are  not  funda- 
mental at  all,  as  men,  no  longer  vain  in  their  grop- 
ing wisdom,  humbly  approach  the  Source  of  all 
truth,  and  come  to  know  the  reality  of  the  Lord 
God,  the  Father  of  us  all. — R.  L.  E. 

JhsL  TTbflL  4. 

"2b>nifL  CLmofuj^  Jhiswsi&l 

'"There  is  an  oft-repeated  scene  in  the  drama  of 
human  affairs  that  is  played  over  and  over  again 
through  the  years — a  scene  that  has  often  been 
known  to  move  through  a  sequence  something  like 
this:  A  group  of  men  combine  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  certain  questionable  ends.  It  may  be  for 
the  exploitation  of  some  unfair  advantage;  it  may 
be  for  the  pursuit  of  unethical  political  activities; 
it  may  be  for  the  swindling  of  unsuspecting  invest- 
ors; or  it  may  be  conspiracy  for  the  domination  of 
a  country,  or  the  perpetration  of  a  war,  or  the  sub- 
jugation of  a  world.  Ofttimes  the  schemers  swear 
themselves  to  loyalty  and  secrecy;  they  combine 
with  promises  and  oaths  and  bonds,  and  then  set 
out  upon  their  way,  sometimes  to  realize  a  measure 
of  success.  Inevitably,  however,  sooner  or  later, 
something  goes  wrong.  They  over-play  their 
hands;  their  victims  become  sorrier — and  wiser;  the 
house  begins  to  fall;  each  one  frantically  endeavors 
to'  extricate  himself  by  sacrificing  someone  else,  and 
there  ensues  a  climax  of  mutual  distrust,  and  be- 
trayal. 

The  myth  of  "honor  among  thieves"  may  have 
some  classic  examples  which  would  seem  to  prove 
it  to  be  true,  but  for  every  one  such,  there  are  a 
million  to  contradict  the  theory.  Fair-weather  con- 
spirators soon  become  mortal  enemies  when  the  tide 
of  fortune  turns  and  the  saving  of  heads  is  the  order 
of  the  day.  We  have  seen  much  of  it  and  will  see 
yet  more  of  it.  There  is  not  and  cannot  be  any 
assurance  of  loyalty  where  a  dishonorable  purpose 
is  involved. 

There  are  no  bonds  or  oaths  or  penalties,  or 
secret  orders  or  pledges  or  threats  strong  enough 
to  hold  any  combination  of  men  together  for  long 
in  any  unholy  cause,  in  prosperity  or  adversity.  The 
only  unbreakable  bonds  in  such  cases  are  the  bonds 
of  fear  and  distrust,  night  and  day- — a  fear  that 
neither  rationalization  nor  barred  doors  nor  body- 
guards can  shut  out.  And  this  all  men,  both  young 
and  old,  should  remember  before  they  decide  to  set 
out  upon  a  questionable  course  with  questionable 
companions. — R.  L.  E. 


416 


THE   IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Evidences  and 
reconciliations 

Jbcviu.  (OJu^  (bo  U)sl  (pahiaksL  d$.  ihsL 
Sacbcun&nt?  U)ho Should* 
(pjcvdaluL  o^L  ihsL  SacJvcwuwL  ? 

A  sacrament  means  a  solemn,  sacred  religious  ordi- 
'f*  nance.  There  are  many  of  them.  The  sacrament 
as  understood  by  the  Church,  and  discussed  here,  is 
the  partaking  of  bread  and  water  (or  unfermented 
wine)  as  emblems  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

The  central  figure  of  the  plan  of  salvation  is  Jesus, 
the  Christ.  To  Him  is  committed  the  supervision  of 
the  Plan — from  the  making  of  the  earth  to  the  final 
report  of  work  accomplished.  His  atoning  sacrifice 
makes  possible  the  eternal  possession  by  the  spirits  of 
men  of  their  earth-won  bodies.  All  things  pertaining 
to  the  welfare  of  the  earth  and  its  inhabitants  are  done 
through  Him.  Every  commandment  for  salvation  is 
administered  by  Him.  Therefore,  all  petitions  to  God, 
every  prayer,  should  be  offered  in  the  name  of  the  Son 
of  God,  Jesus  Christ. 

Every  person  who  accepts  the  divine  plan  for  human 
salvation  must  accept  the  leadership  of  Jesus,  and  cove- 
nant to  keep  the  laws  of  the  plan.  As  Christ  is  ac- 
cepted with  all  the  attendant  obligations  of  the  gospel, 
in  spirit  and  in  deed,  so  man  may  win  salvation  (Moses 
5 : 8-9 ) ,  and  there  is  no  other  way. 

All  this  was  explained  to  Father  Adam,  the  first  man; 
and  it  has  been  explained  whenever  a  new  dispensation 
of  the  gospel  has  been  opened  on  earth.  Adam  was 
further  taught  that  to  keep  constantly  alive  the  knowl- 
edge of  Jesus  and  His  gospel  and  man's  covenant  under 
the  gospel  law,  he  should  offer  sacrifices  in  "similitude 
of  the  (coming)  sacrifice  of  the  Only  Beqotten  of  the 
Father."    (Moses  5:7.) 

From  that  time  onward,  until  Jesus  Himself  came  on 
earth,  wherever  the  Priesthood  was  present,  men 
offered  sacrifices  in  memory  of  their  acceptance  of 
Jesus,  the  Son  of  God,  and  of  their  covenants  with  God. 
The  Mosaic  law  and  ritual  were  built  around  the  offer- 
ing of  sacrifices,  which  were  the  most  sacred  parts  of 
the  system.  (Leviticus,  chapters  7-9;  Exodus,  chap- 
ters 29,  30. ) 

After  the  coming  of  Jesus  and  His  sacrificial  death, 
it  continued  to  be  important  to  keep  alive  among  men 
the  meaning  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  and  man's 
obligations  to  God.  Yet,  since  the  "sinless  sacrifice" 
had  been  accomplished,  and  the  old  and  partial  law  had 
been  superseded  by  the  more  complete  law,  a  new  form 
of  witnessing  to  Christ's  supreme  place  and  man's  ac- 
ceptance of  Him  and  His  law  was  instituted. 

President  Joseph  F.  Smith  said: 

It  was  instituted  by  the  Savior  in  the  place  of  the  law  of 
sacrifice  which  was  given  to  Adam,  and  which  continued 
with  his  children  down  to  the  days  of  Christ,  but  which  was 
fulfilled  in  his  death,  he  being  the  great  sacrifice  for  sin, 
of  which  the  sacrifices  enjoined  in  the  law  given  to  Adam 
were  a  similitude.    (Gospel  Doctrine,  1939  edition,  p.  202.) 

Shortly  before  His  crucifixion,  in  an  upper  room  in 
Jerusalem,  Jesus  ate  His  last  supper  with  His  chosen 
Twelve.  The  first  three  evangelists  tell  the  story. 
Matthew  says, 

And  as  they  were  eating,  Jesus  took  bread,  and  blessed  it, 
and  brake  it,  and  gave  it  to  the  disciples,  and  said,  Take,  eat; 


this  is  my  body.  And  he  took  the  cup,  and  gave  thanks,  and 
gave  it  to  them,  saying,  Drink  ye  all  of  it:  For  this  is  my 
blood  of  the  new  testament,  which  is  shed  for  many  for  the 
remission  of  sins.  But  I  say  unto  you,  I  will  not  drink 
henceforth  of  this  fruit  of  the  vine,  until  that  day  when  I 
drink  it  new  with  you  in  my  Father's  kingdom.  (Matthew 
26:26-29;  also  Mark  16:14;  and  Luke  22:14-20.) 

Thenceforth,  under  the  "New  Testament,"  this  has 
been  the  type  of  memorial  of  Christ's  sacrifice  and  man's 
acceptance  of  Christ  and  obedience  to  Christ's  law. 
It  is  the  sacrament  of  man's  communion  with  God — a 
most  sacred  ordinance. 

The  restoration  of  the  gospel  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  Joseph  Smith  clarified  the  use  and  meaning 
of  the  sacrament,  which  through  the  dark  periods  of 
apostasy  had  suffered  many  perversions.  In  the  revela- 
tion on  Church  organization  and  government  it  is  de- 
clared that  "the  church  meet  together  often  to  partake 
of  bread  and  wine  in  the  remembrance  of  the  Lord 
Jesus."  Further,  the  meaning  of  the  ordinance  is  made 
clear  in  the  set  prayers  to  be  pronounced  upon  the 
bread  and  water  which  follow.   For  the  bread  it  is: 

O  God,  the  Eternal  Father,  we  ask  thee  in  the  name  of 
thy  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  to  bless  and  sanctify  this  bread  to  the 
souls  of  all  those  who  partake  of  it,  that  they  may  eat  in  re- 
membrance of  the  body  of  thy  Son,  and  witness  unto  thee,  O 
God,  the  Eternal  Father,  that  they  are  willing  to  take  upon 
them  the  name  of  thy  Son,  and  always  remember  him  and 
keep  his  commandments  which  he  has  given  them;  that  they 
may  always  have  his  Spirit  to  be  with  them.  Amen.  (D.  &  C. 
20:77.) 

To  remember  the  sacrifice  of  Jesus,  to  accept  Jesus 
as  the  Leader;  to  keep  His  commandments — these  are 
the  covenants  made;  and  the  reward  is  the  guiding 
companionship  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  makes  of  the 
partaking  of  the  sacrament  a  renewal  of  the  covenants 
we  made  at  the  time  of  baptism  into  the  Church.  Thus, 
by  the  sacrament  we  declare  repeatedly,  ordinarily 
weekly,  our  allegiance  to  the  plan  of  salvation  and  its 
obligations.  Thus  we  keep  ourselves  as  one  with  Christ 
our  Elder  Brother  in  seeking  to  consummate  the  pur- 
poses of  the  Father  with  respect  to  the  children  of  men. 

The  sacrament  should  be  taken  with  sincere  ac- 
ceptance of  all  that  it  means.  The  partaker  should  seek 
to  cleanse  himself  from  all  evil.  Otherwise  the  ex- 
pected blessings  may  not  be  realized.  In  the  words  of 
Paul, 

But  let  a  man  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of  that 
bread,  and  drink  of  that  cup.  For  he  that  eateth  and  drinketh 
unworthily,  eateth  and  drinketh  damnation  to  himself.  ( I  Cor. 
11:28,  29.) 

The  statement  that  "the  Church"  meet  together  often 
to  partake  of  the  sacrament,  implies  that  properly  it 
should  be  administered  in  authorized  Church  gatherings. 
The  meeting  may  be  small  in  number,  for  "where  two 
or  three  are  met  together  in  my  name, .  . .  there  I  will  be." 
(D.  &  C.  6:32;  Matthew  18:20.) 

The  authority  to  administer  the  sacrament  is  pos- 
sessed by  all  holders  of  the  Melchizedek  Priesthood  and 
also  by  priests  of  the  lesser  Priesthood.  It  is  customary 
for  two  persons  to  officiate,  one  for  the  bread,  the  other 
for  the  water.  However,  one  elder  or  priest  may  bless 
both  emblems,  if  necessary.    (D.  &  C.  20:76. ) 

Early  in  the  history  of  the  restored  Church,  the  ques- 
tion of  the  use  of  wine  in  the  sacrament  was  discussed. 
By  revelation  it  was  learned  that  "it  mattereth  not  what 
ye  shall  eat  or  what  ye  shall  drink  when  ye  partake 
of  the  sacrament,  if  it  so  be  that  ye  do  it  with  an  eye 
single  to  my  glory — "  (D.  &  C.  27:2.)  Consequently, 
the  Church  uses  water  instead  of  wine.  Should  wine  be 
used  it  should  be  "made  new  among  you."  (D.  &  C. 
27:4.) 

While  only  those  who  have  entered  the  Church  can 
renew  their  covenants,  yet  to  avoid  singling  out  children 

(Concluded  on  page  447) 


JULY,  1943 


417 


CONDUCTED  BY  MARBA  C.  JOSEPHSON 


Never  a  Cross  Word 

By  Helen  Mating 

Tn  viewing  the  strange  results  of  some 
A  of  the  modern  misapplied  child 
psychology  that  assures  the  individual, 
first  of  all,  of  having  no  inhibitions, 
one  is  sometimes  appalled  by  what  he 
discovers — the  extreme  of  self-asser- 
tion that  respects  no  laws,  no  rights  of 
other  individuals,  and  a  too  outspoken 
frankness,  not  infrequently  rude  and 
selfish.  We  have  seen  this  happen 
occasionally  to  the  children  of  our 
friends. 

In  contrast,  when  we  find  a  family  of 
newly  grown-up  young  people  who  are 
all  splendid  persons,  as  well  as  delight- 
ful collectively,  we  want  to  talk  to  those 
parents  responsible,  and  ask  them 
what?  how?  and  why?  My  friend  has 
three  such  lovely  grown  "children,"  the 
youngest  nineteen,  the  others  in  their 
twenties.  As  a  sensible  parent,  she  is 
worthy  of  notice. 

"How  did  you  rear  such  a  charming 
and  thoughtful  family?" 

"My  dear,  I  believe  it  was  not  much 
different  from  the  raising  of  many  other 
families.  I  fed  them  simple  nourishing 
food  at  proper  and  regular  hours;  I 
saw  that  they  were  sensibly  clothed; 
and  I  kept  them  clean  and  well." 

"That  isn't  what  I  mean — I'm  speak- 
ing of  character  development.  How 
did  you  shape  and  strengthen  the  thing 
that  becomes  the  individual — the  per- 
sonality?" 

"Yes,  I  did  think  of  that,  and  so  did 
my  husband.  We  planned  it  together. 
We  wanted  to  build  our  babies  into 
individuals  who  would  be  ready  to  live 
in  a  world  with  many  other  people. 
First  of  all,  we  made  companions  of  our 
children.  We  didn't  leave  the  rearing 
of  them  to  a  third  party;  we  stayed 
close  to  them  ourselves. 

"We  let  them  be  our  fun,  and  thereby 
grew  very  close  to  them.  We  took 
walks  with  them,  played  games  with 
them,  and  talked  things  over  with  them. 
We  didn't  take  ourselves  off  to  movies 


constantly;  our  life  and  our  pleasures 
were  centered  in  the  home.  We  de- 
cided our  children  were  the  most  worth- 
while works  of  our  lives;  we  concen- 
trated our  time  upon  them." 

"But  there  are  several  traits  your 
young  people  have,  that  so  many  are 
lacking.  How  did  you  train  them  re- 
ligiously?" 

"We  talked  that  over  too.  We  did 
something  our  parents  had  done:  we 
said  'grace'  at  the  table;  but  we  let  the 
child  say  it.  Each  child  said  a  simple 
little  blessing.  It  did  something  for 
the  child — it  gave  that  child  a  responsi- 
bility to  fulfil,  and  poise  as  well  as  a 
deeper  religious  feeling." 

"But  how  did  you  keep  your  children 
so  kind  to  each  other?" 

"Oh,  that  was  something  else  my 
husband  and  I  planned,  and  discussed. 
From  the  time  our  children  were  tiny 
tots,  we  never  let  one  of  them  quarrel 
with  the  other.  I  explained  to  them 
that  home  was  all  the  place  in  which 
we  had  to  live — that  daddy  and  I 
couldn't  have  it  spoiled  for  us  by  cross 
words  and  quarrels.  If  there  was  a 
spat,  I  stopped  it  before  it  had  a  good 
start;  and  the  one  to  blame  had  to  apolo- 
gize to  the  other.  Sometimes  they 
didn't  want  to  say  they  were  sorry, 
but  I  always  stuck  to  my  point  and 
saw  that  the  apology  was  made.  And 
then  they  were  happy  again.  Some- 
times, after  the  one  at  fault  had  said, 
'I  apologize,'  they  would  take  hands 
and  dance  around  and  laugh  as  though 
a  burden  had  been  lifted  from  those 
very  young  shoulders.  It  helped  them 
to  be  unselfish,  to  consider  the  feelings 
of  others,  and  to  grow  up  kind." 

"I  have  noticed  that  they  never  speak 
sharply  to  each  other,  as  so  many 
brothers  and  sisters  do," 

"No,  we  never  have  a  cross  word 
in  our  house.  And  now  that  they  are 
reared,  they  are  deeply  thoughtful  of 
each  other  at  all  times,  as  well  as 
thoughtful  of  their  father  and  me.  It 
used  to  take  time,  diplomacy,  and  very 
much  patience  when  they  were  small; 
but  I  know  now  that  it  was  most  worth 


while.  As  they  marry  and  go  from  us, 
they  will  have  that  same  spirit  in  their 
own  homes,  and  live  happy,  useful  lives. 


Payment  for  Handy  Hints  used  will  be 
one  dollar  upon  publication.  In  the  event 
that  two  with  the  same  idea  are  submitted. 
the  one  postmarked  earlier  will  receive  the 
dollar.  None  of  the  ideas  can  be  returned, 
but  each  will  receive  careful  consideration. 


Why  not  have  Sonny  help  you  grate  a 
dozen  oranges  and  lemons  while  making 
punch?  Then  dry  the  grated  peel  and  store 
in  a  glass  jar.  It  will  be  ready  for  instant 
use. — Mrs.  G.  M.  H„  Cedar  City,  Utah. 

A  drop  or  two  of  vegetable  coloring 
added  to  cream  as  it  is  being  whipped — or 
to  cake  icing — proves  a  delightful  surprise 
for  children's  desserts. — Mrs.  N.  H.  L„  Rid- 
dle, Oregon. 

A  lump  of  sugar  placed  on  cheese  will 
prevent  mildew  and  keep  it  fresh. — /.  S., 
Sherbrooke,  Quebec,  Canada. 

For  grease  spots  in  light  material  rub  in 
either  cornstarch  or  clothes  starch  thorough- 
ly and  then  brush  it  out.  The  grease  spots 
will  come  out  with  the  starch. — Mrs.  /.  T.  /., 
Monte  Vista,  Colo. 

To  mend  a  small  hole  in  an  aluminum 
kettle  or  pan  use  a  silver  colored  dress  clasp, 
placing  the  insert  part  through  the  hole  and 
the  clasp  on  the  opposite  side.  Heat  the 
pan  slightly,  place  on  a  piece  of  wood  and 
tap  the  clasp  flat  with  the  hammer. — Mrs. 
E.  R.  F.,  Firth,  Idaho. 

Dip  the  thermos  bottle  cork  in  paraffin 
to  prevent  it  from  absorbing  odors  which 
might  taint  milk  or  other  beverages. — Mrs. 
E.   W.  K.,  Oklahoma  City,  Okla. 

Clever  inside  window  boxes  for  flowers 
the  year  round  can  be  made  from  one-pound 
or  five-pound  cheese  boxes.  To  the  bot- 
tom of  the  box  are  nailed  large  thread 
spools  to  act  as  legs.  Painted  cream  or 
dark  green  and  stenciled  with  colorful  trans- 
fer design,  or  covered  with  discarded  bits 
of  bright  wallpaper,  they  make  attractive 
flower  containers  for  any  room  in  the  home- 
— Mrs.  D.  L.  S.,  Coraopolis,  Pa. 


// 


rM/VKS,   P#l/ 


•/ 


MAKE  ALL  YOUR  WASH  LOOK 


Abso/ufelyfAULTLESS 

5*-10*-25*-AT  YOUR  GROCER'S 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


By  Josephine  B.  Nichols 

Cerve  "Health-f  or- Victory"  meals 
^  from  the  garden  as  suggested  by  the 
following  menus  and  recipes: 


Breakfast 

cantaloup 
jelly 
whole  wheat  toast 

milk 


omelet 

butter 


Lunch 

potatoburgers 

sliced  tomatoes 

enriched  bread  butter 

peanut  butter  crunchies 

iced   chocolate  milk 

Dinner 
combination  salad,   French   dressing 

ham  and  noodle  casserole 

buttered  beets  corn-on-the-cob 

"90-minute"  rolls  butter 

peppermint  ice  cream 

Potatoburgers 

1  pound  hamburg 

2  cups  coarsely  grated,  unpeeled  potatoes 
34  cup  grated  onion 

\x/j  teaspoons  salt 

34  teaspoon  pepper 

Yi  cup  chopped  green  pepper 

1  teaspoon  Worcestershire  sauce 
34  cup  shortening 

Combine  hamburg,  potatoes,  onion,  pep- 
per, and  seasonings  and  mix  well.  Shape 
into  patties.  Fry  patties  in  hot  shortening 
until  brown  on  both  sides. 

Ham  and  Noodle  Casserole 

2  cups  chopped,  cooked  ham 
1  4-ounce  package  noodles 

1   egg,  beaten 
34  cup  evaporated  milk 
J4  cup  water 

1    tablespoon  butter 

Cook  noodles  in  boiling,  salted  water  un- 
til tender.  Grease  casserole  and  put  in 
alternate  layers  of  noodles  and  ham.  Top 
with  noodles.  Combine  egg  with  milk  and 
-water  and  pour  over  noodle  mixture.  Dot 
with  butter.  Bake  in  a  moderately  hot 
•oven   (375°  F.)   for  about  30  minutes. 

Peanut  Butter  Crunchies 

34  cup  shortening 

34  cup  peanut  butter 

34  cup  brown  sugar,  firmly  packed 

6  tablespoons  honey 

1  egg  well  beaten 
134  teaspoons   milk 

1  cup  enriched  flour 
34  teaspoon  salt 
34  teaspoon  soda 

Blend  shortening  and  peanut  butter  until 
well  mixed.  Add  sugar  gradually.  Add  the 
honey  slowly,  blending  well.  Stir  in  the 
beaten  egg  and  milk.  Sift  flour,  measure 
and  sift  again  with  salt  and  soda.  Add  to 
creamed  mixture.  Drop  from  teaspoon  onto 
greased  baking  sheet,  placinq  two  inches 
apart.  Bake  in  slow  oven  325  F.  for  15-18 
minutes.     Makes  3J4  dozen  cookies. 

Peppermint  Ice  Cream 

2  cups  milk 

1   cup  chilled  evaporated  milk 
Yl  pound  peppermint  candy  sticks 

1  tablespoon  unflavored   gelatin 

2  tablespoons  cold  water 

Soak  gelatin  in  cold  water.     Scald  milk 
(Concluded  on  page  420) 

JULY,  1943 


LIFE  MATH '4(/MOR'/by£&4 the  Borden  Cow 


■iUJ 


HELLO, POP.'-  I'M  HAVING  AN  OLD 
HOSPITAL  CHUM  FOR  DINNER- 
PICK  UP  A  COUPLE  OF  CANS  OF 
BORDEN'S  EVAPORATED  MILK , 
WILL  YOU/" 


There's  no  shortage 

on  A-1    QUALITY 

It  is  sfiictly  A-1   in  every  respect. 

You-you  may  sometimes 
find  your  grocer  out  of  this 
popular  item.  But  keep 
watching!  Your  grocer 
will  have  his  share! 

And  for  a  short-cut  to 
the  lightest  biscuits,  short- 
cake, or  meat  pie  topping 
vou  ever  tasted— be  sure 
it's  Globe  "Al"  Biscuit 
Flour. 


1 


GLOBE 


BISCUIT    FLOUR 


419 


LINENS  FEWER 
FOR  DURATION 


AVOID  THIS  EFFECT  OF  IMPROPER  BLEACHING 

PUREX,  properly  used,  keeps  linens 
snowy,  yet  lets  them  last  as  long  as  if  no 
bleach  were  used;  or  longer  because 
Purex  saves  rubbing. 

PUREX  is  the  Controlled-Action 
Bleach  —  Gentle  to  linens 

Made  by  the  exclusive  Intrafil  Process, 
every  bottle  has  the  same  strength, 
same  bleaching  speed. This  Controlled 
Action  means  Purex,  used  as  directed, 
is  never  too  weak  or  too  strong.It's  safe! 


A  "BEAUTY-BATH"  THAT  DISINFECTS,  TOO! 

Purex  gives  surprising  sparkle  to  tile, 
porcelain  and  linoleum.  Removes 
stains.  Cleans  even  between  the  tile! 
More  important,  it  leaves  things  ac- 
tually hospital-clean.  Use  after  daily 
clean-up,  following  easy  Disinfecting 
Directions  on  label.  At  your  Grocer's. 


PUREX 

DISINFECTANT  •  CLEANSER 

THE  t^ZM&/-7&te?C  BLEACH 
GENTLE  TO  LINENS 


mit  oiter  . . . 

A  COMPLETE 
ENGRAVING   SERVICE 
From    Missionary    Portraits    to    the    Largest 
Catalogues 
Mail  Orders  Given  Prompt  Attention 

UTAH  ENGRAVING  CO. 

113  Regent  St.  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


The  New  Edition  of 

THE  WAYTD 
PERFECTION 

now  off  the  press 
$1.25 

THE  BOOKCRAFT  CO. 

P.  O.  Box  63 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


Cooks'  Corner 

(Concluded  from  page  419) 
and  dissolve  peppermint  sticks.  Add  gel- 
atin; cook  until  it  thickens  and  then  whip 
until  fluffy.  Whip  chilled  evaporated  milk 
until  stiff  and  fold  into  peppermint  mixture. 
Pour  into  freezing  tray  and  place  in  freez- 
ing compartment.  Stir  at  30-minute  inter- 
vals for  the  first  two  hours.  Requires  about 
five  hours. 


Prud 


ence 


( Concluded  from  page  404 ) 
Her  heart  pounded.  Then  she  found 
she  didn't  have  to  say  anything.  She 
just  looked  at  him  out  of  big,  blue  eyes 
fringed  with  black  lashes,  and  that  was 
enough  for  William. 

Dancing  wasn't  so  bad,  she  thought. 
In  fact  she  rather  liked  it,  oh,  just  a 
little,  of  course! 

When  refreshments  were  served, 
William  sat  down  by  her.  And,  strange- 
ly enough,  for  the  first  time  in  her  life 
she  could  say,  "No,  thank  you,"  with 
no  regrets,  to  a  second  offer  of  ice 
cream. 

JLhe  party  was  over.  Pru- 
dence said  her  "thank  you's"  easily. 
There  was  no  constraint  on  her  part. 

The  boys  and  girls  walked  out  on  the 
porch. 

Then  William  was  at  her  side.  "I'd 
like  to  walk  you  home,"  he  was  saying. 

Prudence  smiled  at  him,  and  they 
walked  side  by  side  down  the  sidewalk. 
A  rock  lay  just  in  front  of  Prudence, 
but  she  didn't  even  see  it. 

They  reached  the  Sanderson  front 
gate.  Both  Prudence  and  William 
paused.  William  leaned  on  the  gate. 
"I  could  tell  that  you  were  a  lot  smooth- 
er than  any  of  them  as  soon  as  I  saw 
you." 

Prudence  swallowed  hard.  Then  a 
little  black  and  white  dog  came  tearing 
around  the  house.  His  tail  beat  franti- 
cally as  he  caught  sight  of  Prudence  on 
the  other  side  of  the  gate. 

Prudence  felt  a  little  wave  of  nos- 
talgia sweep  over  her. 

"Well"  said  William,  "maybe  I  can 
call  you  later?" 

Prudence  felt  as  though  a  bomb  had 
exploded  in  her  ears.  She  looked  at 
the  little  puppy  for  reassurance.    Then 

she  turned  back  to  William,  "Well 

maybe,"  she  said. 

As  soon  as  William  was  gone  she 
raced  in  the  house.  "And  I  didn't  mind 
the  party  at  all,"  she  told  her  mother; 
"of  course  William  got  a  little  silly  at 
the  last,  but  it  was  all  okay — I  mean 
all  right." 

She  pulled  on  her  faded  blue  shirt  and 
shorts  and  tore  out  of  the  house. 

Prudence  was  perched  on  a  high 
limb  of  her  favorite  tree  thinking,  when 
her  mother  called  her  in  to  the  evening 
meal.  "I  guess  parties  are  kind  of  fun," 
she  admitted  to  herself  as  she  climbed 
down  out  of  the  tree. 

Just  before  bedtime,  Prudence  went 
into  her  mother's  bedroom  and  bor- 
rowed her  curlers,  and  painstakingly 
wound  up  all  of  her  straight,  black  hair. 


420 


Two  Unidentified  Men 

(Continued  from  page  410) 
grass.    From  the  distance  it  looked  like 
a  green  field  of  waving  grain.    But  it 
proved  to  be  marshland,  unsuitable  as 
the  site  for  a  city. 

They  camped  at  4:30  p.m.  within 
two  or  three  miles  of  their  final  destina- 
tion. Had  they  known,  they  could  easily 
have  completed  the  last  lap  of  their 
journey  that  day.  Orson  Pratt  records 
that  he  "found"  the  wagons,  apparently 
to  his  happy  surprise,  encamped  in  the 
valley. 

The  explorers'  camp,  according  to 
Lyman  Curtis,  was  located  near  the 
present  Temple  Block,  probably  just 
east  between  the  two  forks  of  City 
Creek.  We  are  indebted  to  him  for 
the  information  that  early  the  next 
morning,  July  23,  the  main  body  of  Pio- 
neers arrived  in  two  divisions.  One 
division  came  about  an  hour  ahead  of 
the  other.  Apparently  the  first,  or 
smaller,  came  to  the  vanguard  camp, 
and  the  other  one  camped  a  half  mile 
or  more  south  on  one  branch  of  City 
Creek.  There  seem  to  have  been  two 
camps  established  from  the  first.  Presi- 
dent Young  and  party  arrived  the  sec- 
ond day,  July  24,  shortly  after  noon. 
His  party  seems  to  have  turned  to  the 
right  at  the  mouth  of  Emigration  Can- 
yon, and  to  have  taken  a  course  directly 
toward  the  chosen  site.  They  seem  to 
have  located  at  the  south  camp.  How- 
ever, on  July  27,  President  Young  and 
some  others  moved  to  the  north  camp. 

The  first  camp,  according  to  Lyman 
Curtis,  seems  to  have  been  made  near 
the  Temple  Block.  This  seems  reason- 
able. It  is  unlikely  that  this  exploring 
party  which  had  found  an  acceptable 
location  would  leave  it  and  go  else- 
where to  establish  a  camp.  Howard 
Egan  writes  (July  24,  1847):  "After 
leaving  the  canyon  about  two  miles,  we 
came  in  sight  of  the  other  camps  a 
few  miles  to  the  west."  He  uses  the 
plural  term  "camps."  Wilford  Wood- 
ruff throws  some  light  on  this  subject. 
He  gives  us  an  idea  of  the  location, 
which  was  upon  "two  small  streams"  or 
City  Creek,  and  the  time  the  first  camp 
was  made,  which  was  "two  days  before 
us."    His  words  follow: 

After  gazing  a  while  upon  this  scenery, 
we  moved  four  miles  across  the  table  land, 
into  the  valley  to  the  encampment  of  our 
brethren  who'  had  arrived  two  days  before 
us.  They  had  pitched  upon  the  banks  of 
two  small  streams  of  pure  water.  .  .  . 

It  seems  that  both  forks  of  City 
Creek  were  camped  upon.  On  July 
28  Brother  Woodruff  speaks  of  the 
"north  camp,"  and  on  July  29  he  states 
that  the  members  of  the  Mormon  Batta- 
lion, who  arrived  that  day,  made  their 
camp  "between  our  two  camps."  The 
streams  played  an  important  role.  City 
Creek  divided  at  the  mouth  of  the  can- 
yon into  two  streams.  One  flowed  west 
along  North  Temple  Street.  It  crossed 
and  re-crossed  the  street  three  times 
and  emptied  into  the  Jordan  after 
uniting  with  other  streams  south  of  the 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Fair  Grounds.  The  other  branch  of 
City  Creek  flowed  south  (or  west  of 
south)  diagonally  down  through  the 
tier  of  blocks  between  State  Street  and 
Main  Street.  It  crossed  Main  Street 
near  the  Post  Office  building  and  ran 
west  and  south,  joining  Emigration  and 
Parley's  creeks  after  their  merger. 


TWO  UNIDENTIFIED  MEN 

T'he  story  of  Lyman  Curtis  and  Levi 
x  Jackman,  who  lighted  these  early 
fires  in  the  valley,  forms  only  an  episode 
in  the  moving  drama  of  the  Pioneers. 
But  it  was  fitting  that  they  should  have 
tended  that  early  beacon,  for  they  were 
themselves  examples  of  warm  friend- 
ship and  loyal  devotion,  a  friendship 


and  devotion  typical  of  all  that  van- 
guard of  pioneer  men.  Certainly  Brig- 
ham  Young  recognized  it.  We  are  told 
that  never  thereafter  did  they  meet  this 
great  man  but  he  held  out  a  warm  hand 
of  affection,  or  encircled  them  in  his 
strong  arms  in  brotherly  love. 


OyLthsL&ooL  flcudc 


RELIGION  AND  HEALTH 
(Seward    Hiltner.     The   Macmillan 
Co.,  New  York.   1943.  292  pages.  $2.50.) 

The  first  half  of  this  book  is  a  clear  and 
comprehensive  discussion  of  religion  in 
the  field  of  mental  hygiene.  The  latter  half 
is  devoted  to  the  methods  of  applying  this 
knowledge  by  the  ministers  of  the  several 
Christian  churches.  Dr.  Hiltner  believes  that 
the  contributions  of  religion  to  health  are 
among  the  most  significant  functions  of  re- 
ligion, and  upon  that  thesis  the  book  is 
written.  Valuable  suggestions  appear  in 
all  of  the  eleven  chapters.  The  chapter  on 
mental  health  and  education  makes  impor- 
tant reading  for  all  who  are  concerned  with 
the  welfare  of  the  coming  race. — /.  A,  W. 

MEN  BEFORE  ADAM 

(Anne  Terry  White.    Random   House, 

New  York.    1942.    305  pages.    $2.50.) 

There  have  been  many  finds  in  recent 
years,  skulls,  jawbones,  teeth,  pictures 
in  caves,  etc.,  that  lead  to  the  conclusion 
that  man-like  beings  lived  before  the  present 
races  of  men.  These  finds,  and  the  history 
of  their  discovery,  are  here  described  in 
most  readable  style.  The  story  of  the  men 
who  made  the  finds,  their  labors,  struggles, 
and  successes,  give  a  delightful  human  touch 
to  every  page  of  the  book. 

Readers  who  are  interested  in  this  phase 
of  man's  search,  will  find  here  a  brief  but 
comprehensive  survey  of  the  subject — per- 
haps all  needed  for  a  general  knowledge  of 
the  subject.  One  does  not  need  to  accept 
the  conclusions  of  the  author — they  are  not 
well  supported — but  the  facts  are  reliably 
presented.  The  book  is  beautifully  printed 
and  illustrated. — /.  A.  W. 

DAVID 

(Duff  Cooper.  Harper  and  Brothers, 
New  York.  1943.  292  pages.  $3.00.) 
A  mong  the  greatest  characters  in  history 
*~*  that  of  David  shines  with  unquestioned 
lustre.  One  of  the  most  capable  of  states- 
men, he  combined  the  seemingly  contra- 
dictory qualities  of  poet  and  soldier.  Duff 
Cooper,  who  has  proved  his  ability  in  pre- 
viously published  biographies,  does  excel- 
lent work  in  maintaining  the  Biblical  story 
and  creating  a  deeply  satisfying,  stimulat- 
ing biography.  While  it  is  true  that  nothing 
can  reach  the  magnificence  of  the  Bible  in 
its  beauty  and  force,  this  story  will  give 
a  fresh  impetus  to  a  rereading  of  the  ori- 
ginal. 

Some  may  not  agree  entirely  with  the 
vindictiveness  which  the  author  gives  to  the 
Prophet  Samuel  in  his  making  and  unmak- 
ing of  King  Saul,  but  they  will  be  pleased 
with  the  careful  delineation  of  the  Prophet 
Nathan.  One  cannot  help  wondering  also 
if  the  phrase  "a  certain  impudent  self-con- 
fidence" can  be  entirely  vindicated  in  speak- 
ing of  the  youthful  David. 

But  the  book  itself  is  gripping  reading 
and  will  be  a  welcome  addition  to  those 
who  love  the  story  of  the  shepherd  lad  who 
became  a  true   statesman. — M.   C.   J. 

JULY,  1943 


FINDING  YOUR  WAY  IN  LIFE 

(Edited  by  Sidney  A.  Weston.  Associa- 
tion Press,  New  York.  1942.  134  pages. 
$1.50.) 

This  symposium  from  the  pens  of  the 
great  men  and  women  of  our  genera- 
tion has  great  value  for  the  youth  who  are 
casting  about  for  their  places  in  the  world 
and  their  preparation  for  those  places. 
There  is  only  one  criticism  which  could 
be  offered  the  very  fine  material  offered 
here,  and  that  is  not  a  criticism  of  content, 
it  is  merely  one  of  emphasis.  In  discussing 
the  matter  of  making  and  keeping  a  friend, 
Margaret  Slattery  quotes  a  young  woman 
who  says  that  one  reason  that  a  certain 
young  man  will  not  make  friends  is  that  he 
will  not  drink.  Concluding  the  quotation 
the  author  says,  "And  she  is  right.  The 
young  man  will  be  obliged  to  change  his 
standards  if  he  desires  to  seek  friends  and 
win  popularity  in  that  particular  office 
group. 

"The  present  generation  of  youth  finds 
the  struggle  between  personal  standards  and 
the  natural  desire  for  friendship  a  constant 
strain  and  often  puts  aside  those  standards 
in  favor  of  the  opportunity  to  make  friends. 
Yet  experience  has  proved  that  friendships 
based  on  lowered  standards  are  neither 
satisfactory  nor  permanent." 

Some  young  people  may  read  the  first 
part  of  the  quotation  and  feel  that  the 
author  feels  that  the  young  man  in  question 
should  change  his  standards,  which  of 
course  the  author  does  not  mean  at  all. 
More  careful  editing  would  have  safeguard- 
ed this  mistake  which  might  prove  serious 
for  many  young  people. — M.  C.  /. 

HALF  A  HEMISPHERE 
(Delia  Goetz.    Illustrated.     Harcourt, 
Brace  and  Company,  New  York. 
278  pages.    $2.50.) 

This  book  was  written  by  a  woman  who 
is  on  the  staff  of  the  Washington  Bu- 
reau of  the  Foreign  Policy  Association  and 
who  has  lived  in  many  of  the  Latin  Ameri- 
can countries  whose  history  she  has  so 
capably  written.  Beginning  with  the  story 
of  Columbus,  she  relates  the  fascinating 
story  of  more  than  "half  a  hemisphere"  in 
their  struggle  against  despotism  toward 
freedom.  Young  and  old  alike  will  find 
this  stimulating,  informational  reading. — 
M.  C.  ]. 

THE  LITTLE  PRINCE 
(Antoine  De  Saint-Exupery.    Illustrated. 
Reynal  and  Hitchcock,  New  York. 
1943.    93  pages.    $2.00.) 

ALTHOUGH  ostensibly  a  child's  book,  most 
grown-ups  will  feel  that  there  is  gentle 
irony  and  deliberate  malice  in  this  story  of 
the  little  prince  who  knows  that  "children 
should  always  show  great  forbearance  to- 
ward grown-up  people." 

This  is  a  new  kind  of  Gulliver's  Travels, 
for  in  this  one,  a  child  travels  to  show  up 
the  various  kinds  of  adults  who  have  clut- 
tered earth. — M.  C.  J. 


THE  DAY  MUST  DAWN 
(Agnes  Sligh  Turnbull.     Macmillan  Com- 
pany, New  York.  1942.  483  pages.  $2.75.) 

This  story,  with  its  locale  in  western  Penn- 
sylvania in  the  year  1775  and  follow- 
ing, becomes  a  dramatic  episode  from 
woman's  life  in  the  early  days  of  our  coun- 
try. 

The  story  centers  around  Martha  Murray, 
her  daughter  Violet,  and  her  adopted  son, 
Hugh  McConnell.  Martha  dreams  of  the 
day  when  she  will  send  her  daughter  away 
from  the  hard-driven  frontier  to  the  softer 
life  of  the  east.  To  this  end  she  plots  and 
plans,  only  to  have  events  take  an  unex- 
pected turn. 

The  romantic  story  runs  concurrently 
with  the  history  of  the  part  the  frontier 
played  in  the  winning  of  the  Revolution: 
the  activities  of  Daniel  Boone  and  George 
Rogers  Clark. 

Such  stories  as  this  awaken  in  us  a  deep 
appreciation  for  the  heritage  that  is  ours. 

— M.  C.  /. 

THE  ART  OF  WORLDLY  WISDOM 
(Balthasar  Gracian.    Translated  from  the 
Spanish  by  Joseph  Jacobs.     Macmillian 
Company,  New  York.   1943.   196 
pages.    $1.50.) 

Balthasar  Gracian  expounded  these  bits 
of  wisdom  three  hundred  years  ago. 
So  stable  is  human  nature  that  his  reflec- 
tions are  as  applicable  today  as  they  were 
when  he  gave  them  to  his  compatriots.  So 
universal  is  the  truth  incorporated  they  are 
pertinent  to  peoples  of  other  languages  and 
ideologies.  For  quick  pick-me-ups  in  the 
field  of  philosophy,  this  book  is  an  ideal 
pocket  companion. — M.  C.  J. 

BRAZIL  UNDER  VARGAS 

(Earl  Loewenstein,  Macmillan  Company, 

New  York,  1942.    381  pages.    $2.75.) 

This  book  by  a  professor  of  political 
science  and  jurisprudence  at  Amherst 
College  gains  prestige  as  an  unbiased,  thor- 
ough study  of  the  great  country  which  re- 
cently became  our  ally.  The  author  has 
tried  to  be  absolutely  fair  and  states  in  his 
introduction,  ".  .  .  if  this  author  can  claim 
anything  for  his  book  it  is  that  he  was  neith- 
er corrupted  by  the  courtesies  of  the  govern- 
ment of  Brazil  nor  prejudiced  by  the  pro- 
testations of  its  opponents,"  both  of  which 
groups  he  interviewed  carefully. 

Beginning  with  early  Brazil,  the  writer 
carefully  traces  the  background  of  the  Brazil 
which  we  would  like  to  know  better. 

The  author  has  treated  the  material  under 
five  headings:  Looking  Backwards,  The 
Constitution  of  the  Estado  Novo,  The  De- 
fense of  the  State  under  the  Vargas  Regime, 
Public  Opinion  Management  and  the  Dy- 
namics of  Social  Life  under  Vargas,  and 
The  Balance  Sheet  of  the  Regime. 

This  book,  by  a  trained  person,  is  a  wel- 
come addition  to  the  books  on  the  South 
American  scene. — M.  C.  /. 

421 


S&Jwsl  iPdbu  di&alihfyuL 


ICTORY 
ERAGE 


/ 


Today's  strenuous  wartime  activity  demands 
good  health  .  .  .  good  health  demands  steady 
nerves  ...  so  drink  MAID-O-BARLEY.  abso- 
lutely free  of  caffeine  and  other  harmful  in- 
gredients .  .  .  Takes  none  of  your  precious 
ration  stamps. 

MAID-O-BARLEY 

AT  YOUR  GROCERS 
WISDOM  FOODS 

150  Pacific  Ave.  Salt  Lake  City 


"&   .       ^        -lV  & 


"MILK  WHITE"  EGGS... 


.  .  .  are  recognized  standards  of  dependable,  choice 
quality  from  coast  to  coast.  They  are  especially  im- 
portant now  ...  at  home  and  at  the  front  ...  for  good 
food  is  vital  to  victory. 


Look  for 


w 


MILK  WHITE"   EGGS 

at  your  grocer's.    They're  always 

Top  Quality 
Utah  Poultry  Producers'  Cooperative  Association 

— — --———— -  tr      -fr '    ir    ---it  — 


Eloquent  Chairs  from 
Zion  Canyon  Country 

( Concluded  from  page  405 ) 
Europe  and  America.  I  even  found 
one  with  arms  in  the  Anne  Hatha- 
way cottage  near  Stratford  in  Eng- 
land.  I  found  them  in  Italy  with 
four  sections  in  the  back.  When  I 
asked  Dorothy  Canfield  Fisher  in 
Arlington,  Vermont,  for  the  best 
souvenir  to  carry  away  from  her  na- 
tive state,  she  told  me  of  a  factory 
in  the  town  that  made  good  reproduc- 
tions of  Vermont  Windsors  and 
Vermont  ladderbacks. 

In  Rocky  Mountain  pioneer  mu- 
seums you  are  constantly  running 
across  ladderback,  rawhide-bot- 
tomed chairs,  side  by  side  with  solid 
woodseated  rockers.  In  Grant's 
Pass  in  southern  Oregon  last  sum- 
mer I  found  ladderbacked,  rawhide- 
bottomed  chairs  that  must  have  been 
brought  over  the  Oregon  trail  one 
hundred  years  ago.  In  the  little 
town  of  Toquerville,  Utah,  I  found 
rawhide-bottomed  chairs  that  had 
had  their  rockers  cut  off  as  the  chil- 
dren grew  up  and  were  in  danger 
of  running  into  them. 

All  these  chairs  have  the  ladder- 
back  family  resemblance  and  the 
rawhide  bottom,  but  none  the  hyper- 
durable  rawhide  bottom  made  by 
Sam  Gifford,  whose  chairs  were  a 
wedding  present  in  1865  and  lasted 
until  1935,  when  their  bottoms  were 
replaced  by  a  Grafton  artist.  Their 
uprights  and  rounds  were  appar- 
ently eternally  strong  and  solid — 
because  an  Ohio  artist  made  them 
and  a  Utah  woman  had  loved  them 
and  given  them  pioneer  strength  and 
pioneer  beauty.  Now  two  af  them 
still  stand  by  a  Franklin  stove  in  a 
New  England  living-room  and  are 
not  out  of  place. 


If  You  are  Waiting 

for  someone  somewhere  to  repair  or  recap  your  tires  or  find  new 

tires  or  tubes  for  you,  bring  or  send  us  your  tires  or  certificates 

immediately. 

We  have  tires  for  sale  and  we  have  rubber  for  recapping,  and  we 

are  giving  prompt  service. 

O.  K.  RUBBER  WELDERS 


CARL   OLSON 
Operator 


780  So.  State 


LKecappmg  and  LKepatring 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


Phone  5-7967 


422 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


WBOK*Sm 


U.S.S.  Ballard 

San  Francisco,   Calif. 

Jt's  just  over  a  year  now  since  I  heard  or 
saw  one  of  the  men  pictured  in  the  con- 
ference issue  of  the  Era.  One  forgets  so 
eacily,  slips  into  the  humdrum  existence  of 
a  ship  at  sea  with  nothing  but  memories. 
.  .  .  It's  not  so  much  the  words  they  spoke 
(they've  all  been  said  many  times  before) 
but  the  little  things  one  remembers  about 
them:  seeing  this  one  break  with  emotion 
when  telling  of  his  affection  for  the  things 
he's  given  his  life  to — or  rather  which  have 
given  his  life  to  him;  the  time  one  rode  with 
that  one  in  the  mission  field,  and  the  help 
and  advice  he  gave;  knowing  the  others 
through  a  lifetime  of  looking  to  them  for 
leadership — and  finding  it.  Those  are  the 
things  one  gets  away  from  and  so  learns 
just  what  they  mean  to  him.  And  the  Era 
— one  thanks  the  wise  men  who  make  it  and 
the  thoughtful  brother  who  sends  it.  It  is 
for  many  our  only  contact.     We  need  it. 

Robert  W.  English,  U.  S.  Navy 

*  *     * 

I  had  the  privilege  of  going  through  the 
Salt  Lake  Temple  [before  induction]. 
Never  in  my  life  had  I  even  dreamed  of  such 
beauty  and  wonder  as  I  encountered  there. 
.  .  .  The  memory  of  this  will  remain  with 
me  forever.  I  have  acquired  a  feeling  of 
security  that  will  aid  me  wherever  I  go. 

A.  Rex  Dunford,  U.  S.  Army 

*  *     * 

c/o  Postmaster 

San  Francisco,  Calif. 

Nineteen  hundred  and  forty-two  for  me 
has  been  a  year  of  travel,  adventure, 
and  learning;  of  going  new  places,  of  meet- 
ing new  people,  learning  from  them  and 
teaching  some  of  them.  .  .  . 

We  of  the  allied  nations  must  put  the 
truth  on  our  side  and  keep  it  there.  The 
allied  nations  as  well  as  the  axis  nations 
are  made  up  of  individuals;  therefore  indi- 
viduals must  keep  truth  on  their  side.  I  as 
an  individual  must  do  likewise.  I  know 
that  if  I,  at  any  time,  do  things  that  are 
not  right,  I  am  to  that  extent  allying  my- 
self with  the  opposite  side,  the  very  force 
I  am  fighting  against.  It  is  only  by  our 
adherence  and  practice  of  truth  and  its 
principles  that  we  shall  be  placed  in  a  posi- 
tion to  be  designated  as  the  champions  of 
freedom — individual  freedom — the  founda- 
tion of  democracy. 

Lavawn  Owen,  U.  S.  Army 

*  *     * 

Dutch  Harbor,  Alaska 
["  took  my  leave  [at  the  close  of  a  home 
*  evening  service  Christmas  Day].  I  was 
so  overcome  with  the  spirit  of  the  Lord 
and  the  occasion,  and  the  comfort  and  feel- 
ing of  associating  with  such  clean-minded, 
clean-talking  men  of  my  own  faith,  I  hardly 
knew  I  was  in  sub-zero  weather,  and  my 
mind  and  soul  were  on  God  and  the  sweet 
peaceful  feeling  which  had  pervaded  Parley 
Pratt's  little  home.  .  .  . 

Denzil  L.  Black,  U.  S.  Navy 

*  *     * 

Camp  Adair, 
Corvallis,    Ore. 

THE  first  Sunday  morning  following  the 
arrival  in  camp  of  the  contingent  from 
Utah,  our  chapel  in  town  was  crowded  to 
capacity  with  hundreds  of  clean-cut  eager 
young  men  anxious  to  partake  of  the  sacra- 
ment. Standing  room  was  at  a  premium. 
It  was  a  momentous  occasion,  for  it  was  re- 

JULY,  1943 


called  that  some  twelve  years  before,  at  the 
dedication  of  the  chapel,  one  of  the  general 
authorities  foretold  that  the  time  would 
come  when  this  edifice  would  fill  to  over- 
flowing. .  .  .  Here  was  history  in  the  mak- 
ing. .  .  . 

In  a  few  days  my  heart  again  swelled 
within  me.  A  colonel  approached,  who  was 
a  stranger  but  who  observed  I  belonged  to 
the  corps  which  inspects  the  food  for  the 
army.  "Lieutenant,"  said  he,  "I  am  not  a 
Mormon  but  I  am  interested  in  these  boys 
from  Utah.  Is  it  possible  to  get  them  more 
milk  to  drink?  They  absolutely  refuse  to 
touch  coffee."  It  was  indeed  an  exultant 
feeling  to  be  a  Mormon  at  that  moment.  .  .  . 
Hilding  M.  Marlowe,  Major,  V.C. 

*  *     * 

Hawaiian  Islands 

JUST  a  bit  of  brotherly  advice:  you  are 
going  to  find  that  you  are  more  or  less 
on  your  own  now  and  you  can  do  what  you 
want  You  are  going  to  find  that  you  are 
going  to  be  faced  with  many  types  of  temp- 
tations; some  are  going  to  be  hard  to  over- 
come. You  are  going  to  be  associated  with 
fellows  who  haven't  had  the  background 
and  religion  that  you've  had.  So  step 
lightly  at  first  until  you  chase  things  down 
and  be  careful  to  pick  the  right  friends. 
Don't  mind  the  kidding  that  you  might  re- 
ceive for  not  going  on  a  binge  or  to  a  red- 
light  district.  You'll  find  that  in  the  end 
the  fellows  will  really  respect  you  and  what 
you  stand  for.  .  .  . 

Jack  McBwan,  U.  S.  Air  Corps 

*  *     * 

Randolph  Field,  Texas 

I  would  like  to  relate  briefly  my  first  re- 
actions and  impressions  of  flying.  Frank- 
ly, I  was  scared  to  death  the  first  time  up 
— not  of  being  off  the  ground,  but  of  the 
numerous  instruments,  the  various  controls, 
and  the  roar  of  the  powerful  motor.  In 
brief,  I  was  afraid  of  my  ability  to  fly  the 
plane.  I  didn't  consider  flying  as  just  rid- 
ing, but  as  actually  flying  the  plane  myself. 
Before  the  first  hour  was  over,  I  was  half 
sick  and  had  developed  an  inferiority  com- 
plex of  immense  proportions.  The  second 
and  third  times  up  were  about  the  same 
with  the  addition  that  my  instructor  let  me 
fly  it  around  a  bit.  Ten  minutes  of  flying 
would  exhaust  me.  I  was  so  tense  and 
strained,  cold  sweat  would  come  out  on  me 
and  I  was  glad  to  have  him  take  over. 

This  went  on  until  my  fourth  day,  which 
brought  things  to  a  climax,  when  I  got 
thoroughly  sick.  At  this  point  I  was  ready 
to  give  up.  I  really  didn't  have  much  de- 
sire left  to  fly.  My  instructor  had  a  little 
talk  with  me  and  told  me  I  would  have  to 
relax.  He  said  that  anyone  with  common 
sense,  good  judgment,  and  ordinary  brains 
could  fly.  The  rest  of  that  day  and  night 
I  did  a  powerful  lot  of  thinking.  .  .  .  Many 
experiences  passed  through  my  mind,  all 
with  the  same  moral — that  the  will  to  do  a 
thing  is  perhaps  the  biggest  factor  in  being 
able  to  do  it.  The  next  morning  I  got  into 
the  plane  with  weak  knees  but  with  a  firm 
determination  that  I  was  going  to  fly  it. 

When  my  instructor  "washed  out"  one 
of  his  students  for  not  being  able  to  pro- 
gress fast  enough,  he  referred  to  myself 
and  another  student  as  a  comparison.  He 
told  the  fellow  that  it  was  almost  miraculous 
the  way  I  had  developed  and  progressed 
after  such  a  bad  start.  It  will  be  a  long 
remembered  lesson  in  faith  to  me. 

J.  Spencer  Neff,  U.  S.  Air  Corps 


"The  Way  Will 
Be  Opened  Up" 

The  heavy  hand  of  discourage- 
ment had  settled  on  Cache  Valley. 
Farmers  and  townspeople  who  had 
hopefully  subscribed  for  stock  in  the 
proposed  milk  condensery  had  be- 
come pessimistic.  Many  wanted  to 
withdraw,  doubting  that  the  project 
would  ever  succeed. 

A  mass  meeting  was  called.  It 
was  a  gloomy  affair  until  Marriner 
W.  Merrill,  apostle  and  Cache  Val- 
ley leader,  stood  up.  "We  have  had 
enough  discussion,"  he  said.  "I 
move  that  we  build  the  plant  and 
that  we  break  ground  tomorrow.  The 
way  will  be  opened  up  and  we  shall 
have  an  industry  that  will  be  a  great 
benefit  to  the  people." 

The  tone  of  the  meeting  changed. 
Discouragement  gave  way  to  deter- 
mination— and  the  plant  was  built. 

That  was  forty  years  ago.  Since 
that  time  this  pioneer  evaporated 
milk  plant,  the  Sego  Milk  plant  at 
Richmond,  has  returned  many  mil- 
lions of  dollars  to  the  people  of 
Cache  Valley  in  milk  and  cream 
checks  and  in  wages,  salaries  and 
local  purchases  of  supplies  and  ma- 
terials. It  has  been,  and  still  is, 
a  leader  in  the  development  of  the 
dairy  industry  in  this  region.  Its 
products,  Sego  Milk,  improved  in 
the  light  of 
latest  scien- 
tific knowl- 
e  d  g  e,  in- 
cluding en- 
ric  h  m  ent 
with  sun- 
shine Vita- 
min D  by  ir- 
radiation, is 
used  in 
homes  all 
over  the 
west. 

Sego  Milk  Products  Company 

Originators  of  Evaporated  Milk  in  the 

Intermountain  West 

Plants  in 
Richmond,   Utah;  Preston  and  Buhl,   Idaho 

423 


-CONDUCTED  BY  THE  MELCHIZEDEK  PRIESTHOOD  COMMITTEE  OF    THE    COUNCIL    OF    THE    TWELVE — JOSEPH    FIELDING    SMITH, 
CHAIRMAN;  JOHN  A.  WIDTSOE,  JOSEPH  F.  MERRILL,  CHARLES  A.  CALLIS,  AND  HAROLD  B.  LEE 


SialuL  QdwiwuHjul 

Cecond  quarter  quorum  and  group  re- 
*"*  ports  should  be  collected  soon  after 
the  close  of  the  month  of  June.  Since 
some  changes  have  been  made,  all  re- 
ports for  the  second  quarter  should  be 
made  on  the  new  forms,  and  all  ques- 
tions answered. 

*  I  'o  maintain  the  standing  committees 
"*■  of  the  quorum,  frequent  assignments 
should  be  made  and  reports  required. 
The  "brief  handbook"  contains  vital  in- 
formation on  quorum  activity  and  will 
be  sent  free  upon  request  to  new  of- 
ficers. 

Make  assignments  which  will  insure 
friendly,  helpful  letters  going  to  all  ab- 
sent members  of  the  quorum  at  least 
quarterly,  and  monthly  to  those  in  the 
armed  forces. 

"Remember  the  Sabbath 
Day  to  Keep  It  Holy" 

"HpHE  first  activity  listed  for  the  Per- 
sonal  Welfare  department  is  "Lab- 
or with  quorum  members  to  induce  them 
to  be  prayerful,  full  tithe  payers,  ob- 
servers of  the  Word  of  Wisdom,  and 
■observers  of  the  Sabbath  day  . . ."  (Era, 
November,  1942,  p.  730.) 

At  this  season  of  the  year,  when  at- 
tendance at  sacrament  meetings  has  a 
tendency  to  fall  off  and  the  desecration 
of  the  Sabbath  day  is  all  but  a  universal 
practice  with  those  who  are  not  making 
an  effort  to  be  "valiant  in  the  testimony 
of  Jesus,"  it  would  be  well  for  Personal 
Welfare  committees  to  visit  each  mem- 
ber of  the  quorum  in  an  effort  to  win 
him  to  the  practice  of  observing  the 
Sabbath  day. 

Keeping  the  Sabbath  day  holy  is 
■one  of  the  surest  ways  to  get  and  retain 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  which  we  need 
so  sorely  in  these  Satan-dominated 
times.  The  Lord  instituted  the  sacra- 
ment and  directed  us  to  meet  together 
often  and  partake  of  it  in  order  that 
our  minds  might  be  drawn  to  Him  and 
that  we  might  "always  have  His  Spirit 
to  be  with"  us.  To  the  members  of  His 
Church  in  this  generation  He  has  said: 

And  that  thou  mayest  more  fully  keep 
thyself  unspotted  from  the  world,  thou  shalt 
«go  to  the  house  of  prayer  and  offer  up  thy 
sacraments  upon  my  holy  day; 

For  verily  this  is  a  day  appointed  unto 
you  to  rest  from  your  labors,  and  to  pay 
thy  devotions  unto  the  Most  High; 

Nevertheless  thy  vows  shall  be  offered 
up  in  righteousness  on  all  days  and  at  all 
times; 

424 


But  remember  that  on  this,  the  Lord's 
day,  thou  shalt  offer  thine  oblations  and 
thy  sacraments  unto  the  Most  High,  con- 
fessing thy  sins  unto  thy  brethren,  and  be- 
fore the  Lord. 

And  on  this  day  thou  shalt  do  none  other 
thing,  only  let  thy  food  be  prepared  with 
singleness  of  heart  that  thy  fasting  may  be 
perfect,  or,  in  other  words,  that  thy  joy 
may  be  full. 

Verily,  this  is  fasting  and  prayer,  or  in 
other  words,  rejoicing  and  prayer.  (D.  &. 
C.  59:9-14.) 

QIoml.  9ndJjujudiofL 

"Decause  most  of  the  time  during  a 
quorum  meeting  comes  under  the  di- 
rection of  the  class  leader,  the  member 
often  forms  his  opinion  of  Priesthood 
activity  by  the  manner  in  which  the 
class  is  conducted.  This  places  serious 
responsibility  upon  the  teacher  who 
must  present  the  outlined  material  in 
an  attractive  way.  Furthermore,  he 
must  indicate  practical  application  of 
the  truths  of  the  gospel  to  the  daily  life 
of  the  individual  member.  Supplement- 
al material  may  well  serve  as  illustra- 
tions. Never  cease  to  impress  the  class 
that  the  quorum  is  a  real  brotherhood 
and  is  interested  in  each  member's  wel- 
fare. 

QIwmPl  SstiwksL 

HThere  is  no  project  that  would  give 
greater  personal  satisfaction  or 
which  is  of  greater  importance  in  the 
upbuilding  of  the  Church  of  Christ  than 
to  do  work  in  our  temples  for  the  dead. 
There  are  yet  in  the  temples  thousands 
of  names  of  men  to  receive  the  service 
that  can  be  given  only  by  the  living. 

In  one  high  priests  quorum  each 
member  is  undertaking  to  secure  the 
endowment  of  one  person  a  week  for 
one  year  either  by  actually  doing  the 
work  himself  or  by  employing  someone 
to  do  it. 

If  this  suggestion  were  adopted  by  all 
Melchizedek  Priesthood  quorums  of  the 
Church,  the  male  names  that  have  long 
lingered  there,  waiting  to  be  worked  for 
by  the  living,  would  soon  be  used  up. 
Joy  on  earth  and  in  heaven  would  fol- 
low the  labor  of  the  small  sacrifice.  By 
this  means  we  might  help  fill  our  tem- 
ples to  overflowing;  and  the  Lord  in 
answer  would  shower  His  blessings 
upon  His  people. 

Since  the  names  of  females  are 
scarce,  it  may  be  necessary  for  the 
brethren  to  go  to  the  temple  without 
their  wives;  but  there  should  be  no  ob- 
jection to  that,  since  they  are  engaged 
in  sacred  work,  essentially  a  Priesthood 
labor. 


Ss)sdoL&Vnh&dlonsu)XJiA. 

"Restricted  travel  of  wartime  often 
A^  brings  more  advantages  than  disad- 
vantages. Many  quorum  members  are 
now  enjoying  the  thrill  of  making  homes 
of  their  houses,  and  making  their  homes 
more  livable  in  other  ways.  Addition- 
al hours  spent  at  home  create  new  acti- 
vities and  new  joys  of  a  permanent 
nature.    Here  are  a  few  suggestions: 

1.  Improve  your  home  and  grounds 

2.  Take  pride  in  growing   your  Welfare 
garden 

3.  Hang     awnings     to    shade     gathering 
places  around  your  home 

4.  Take  joy  in  the  companionship  of  your 
wife  and  family 

5.  Intelligently   develop   proper   attitudes 
and  character  in  your  children 

6.  Promote  talents  of  the  family  members 

7.  Invite  the  guorum  to  hold  a  lawn  party 
at  your  home 

TbJbA.  pwwL  ihsL  J>hlcL 

"Pasadena  Stake  has  approximate- 
ly forty  acres  under  cultivation  in 
community  gardens  besides  many  home 
gardens,"  reports  Wm.  A.  Pettit,  presi- 
dent. Much  publicity  has  been  given 
one  large  thirty-one-acre  garden  plot 
by  the  Los  Angeles  Times  of  May  23, 
1943: 

Out  in  East  Los  Angeles  thrifty  Mormons 
and  employees  from  a  factory  at  Belvedere 
Gardens  have  started  what  is  believed  to 
be  the  largest  Victory  garden  in  the  United 
States. 

Three  wards  in  the  Pasadena  Stake 
are  using  twenty  acres  of  this  large 
Welfare  garden.  They  are  Belvedere 
( Bishop  Orlin  F.  Lamb ) ,  Montebello 
(Bishop  Herbert  J.  Bingham),  and 
Eastmont  (Bishop  Paul  E.  Richard- 
son ) .  John  Vandershuit  is  the  garden 
adviser. 

The  Times  makes  further  mention  of 
the  Mormon  method  of  utilizing  what  is 
raised: 

Last  year  the  Mormons  purchased  their 
own  canning  plant  and  canned  40.000  cans 
of  fruits  and  vegetables.  This  year  they 
expect  to  double  that  amount,  or  more. 
Nothing  will  be  wasted. 


"Dride  in  quorum  membership  may  be 
manifested  in  many  ways.  For  ex- 
ample, the  Fifth  Quorum  of  Elders  of 
the  Los  Angeles  Stake  have  placed,  at 
the  head  of  their  correspondence  sheets, 
in  large  letters,  the  word  "ELDER," 
and  in  somewhat  smaller  letters  on  the 
right  side  of  the  sheet  "Fifth  Quorum, 
1209  S.  Manhattan,  Los  Angeles." 

Such  pride  in  the  quorum  is  com- 
mendable. It  might  be  followed  profit- 
ably by  others. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Melchizedek  Priesthood 
Outline  of  Study,  August,  1943 

Text:  Teachings  of  the  Prophet 
Joseph  Smith 


LESSON  64 

The  Kingdom  of  God 

Read  Teachings  o/  the  Prophet  Joseph 
Smith,  pp.  51-56,  271-274,  101,  254,  256, 
332,  367;  D.  &  C.  65:5-6;  105:32;  Progress 
of  Man,  p.  473;  Gospel  Doctrine,  p.  87. 

1.  What  constitutes  the  kingdom  of  God 

a.  Kingdom  of  God  set  up  on  earth 
from  the  days  of  Adam  to  present 
(271): 

Wherever  there  is  a  righteous 
man  who  has  authority  from  God  to 
minister  in  the  ordinances  of  the 
gospel,  there  is  the  kingdom  of  God 
(271,273) 

b.  If  they  have  not  the  oracles  of  God 
they  are  not  the  people  of  God 
(272) 

c.  Where  there  is  no  kingdom  of  God 
there  is  no  salvation 

d.  Difference  between  the  kingdom  of 
God  and  fruits  of  the  kingdom 
(273) 

e.  The  kingdom  of  Zion  is  in  very 
deed  the  kingdom  of  our  God  and 
His  Christ  (D.  &  C.  105:32) 

f.  The  kingdom  of  God  and  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  (Progress  o/  Man, 
p.  473;  Gospel  Doctrine,  p.  87;  D. 
&  C.  65:5-6) 

2.  Laws  of  the  kingdom 
Discuss: 

1.  Point  out  the  need  for  laws  in  the 
kingdom  of  God. 

2.  Justify  the  declaration  that  "all  good 
and  wholesome  laws  emanate  from  God." 

LESSON  65 

The  Kingdom  of  God  (Continued) 

3.  Requirements   for  admission   and   ad- 
vancement 

Discuss : 

1.  Show  that  obedience  to  these  laws 
will  produce  peace,  order,  happiness,  and 
the  maximum  personal  development. 

2.  What  are  the  requirements  for  (a) 
admission  and  (b)  advancement  within 
God's  kingdom? 

LESSON  66 

Man  and  the  Animal  Kingdom 

Read  Teachings  o/  the  Prophet  Joseph 
Smith,  pp.  71-72,  291-292;  D.  &  C.  77:2-4; 
49:18-19,  21;  89:12-15,  17;  Moses  2:20-28, 
30;  3:5,  7,  19-20;  5:20,  33;  6:9;  7:13;  Abr. 
4:20-22,  30;  II  Nephi  2:22;  30:12-15;  Isa. 
11:6-9;  35:9;  65:25;  Hos.  2:18;  Ezek.  34:25, 
28;  Rev.  5:13. 

1.  The  creation  of  animals 

2.  Man's  duty  toward  animals 

Discuss : 

1.  Does  man's  dominion  over  animals  en- 
title him  to  hurt,  be  cruel  to,  or  kill  them? 

2.  Explain:  "And  they  (the  animals  and 
fowls)  were  also  living  souls." 

3.  What  caused  the  ferocity  of  beasts? 
When  will  they  again  become  gentle? 

LESSON  67 

Man  and  the  Animal  Kingdom 
(Continued) 

3.  Animals  during  the  millennium 

4.  Animals  in  heaven   (291-292;  Rev.  5: 
13;  D.  &  C.  77:2-4) 

Discuss: 

1.  Interpret  this  passage:  "The  spirit  of 
man  in  the  likeness  of  his  person,  as  also 
the  spirit  of  the  beast,  and  every  other  crea- 
ture which  God  has  created." 

JULY,  1943 


Liquor,  Tobacco,  and  Flying 

"Clying  Officer  George  F.  (Buzz) 
*■  Beurling,  Canada's  air  ace,  has 
flown  more  than  1000  hours  in  fighting 
service  while  he  was  stationed  at  Malta 
in  the  Mediterranean.  In  air  fighting 
there  he  accounted  for  twenty-nine  ene- 
my planes.  Some  weeks  ago  he  visited 
air  training  fields  in  Alberta,  Canada. 

In  his  visit  to  the  flying  schools  at 
Lethbridge  he  delivered  a  "strong  ad- 
dress to  the  Air  cadets  and  urged  them 
to  abstain  from  smoking  and  drink  if 
they  hoped  to  become  good  airmen. 
The  ace  uses  neither  liquor  nor  tobac- 
co. 

In  a  letter  to  his  mother  this  young 
Canadian  indicated  his  reasons  for  ab- 
stinence : 


I  don't  smoke  and  don't  drink  and  I  don't 
swear  either.  ...  In  this  game,  split  seconds 
count.  .  .  .  Smoking  and  drinking,  etc.,  slows 
up  your  mind  and  reactions  are  bound  to 
be  slower.  I've  got  my  own  ideas  about 
fighting.    (The  Voice,  March,  1943) 

Liquor  and  tobacco  are  forbidden  in 
America  to  college  athletes.  Would  it 
not  be  well  if  all  our  flyers  were  also- 
total  abstainers? 


Why  Avoid  Liquor? 

Total  abstinence  and  prohibition  are  not 
an  end  in  themselves,  but  a  sane  and  ef- 
fective means  towards  the  attainment  of 
physical  and  spiritual  fitness,  a  decent 
standard  of  living  and  a  higher  plane  of 
civilization. — Joseph  Malins,  President 

World  Prohibition  Federation 


Vt S  HARP  fO  VELtlVt 


-THAT  HES  SUCH  A  SUPE'R  VATR/OT 


AMERICAN  BUSINESS  Mtrtfc 

RESEARCH  FDUrtDATlpn-Otaao-  ^f00^ 

"PATRIOTIC"  LIQUOR  ADVERTISING 

The  millionaire  manufacturers  of  booze  know  that  their  business  must  always  have 
the  air  of  respectability,  and  in  wartime  the  appearance  of  patriotism. 

And  so  they  are  buying  advertising  space  to  tell  us  how  to  be  patriotic — buy  bonds, 
avoid  absenteeism,  etc. — but  The  American  Business  Men's  Research  Foundation  suggests 
the  simple  way  to  do  these  things  is  "just  close  the  saloons  for  the  duration."  What  da 
you  say? 

425 


THEWORKOFTH^SEVEnTY 


"Go  Ye  into  All  the  World." 


"\T7hen  the  First  Presidency  sent  forth  the  decision  in 
" "  1936  that  every  stake  of  Zion  should  maintain  an  or- 
ganized mission,  the  message  was  received  by  all  the  stake 
presidents  as  a  clarion  call.  It  meant  that  many  hundreds 
of  our  brethren  would  accept  the  responsibility,  and  with  a 
more  sublime  faith  in  the  word  of  God,  would  go  with  the 
divine  Light  to  friend  and  stranger  alike.  Like  the  disciples  of 
old  who  were  sent  out  into  the  world  after  the  resurrection 
of  Jesus  Christ,  so  the  missionaries  of  today  are  sent 
forth  to  share  as  widely  as  possible  the  greatest  joy  and 
benefit  that  God  has  to  give.  While  they  do  not  leave  home 
and  friends  and  comforts  to  wander  in  strange  lands  and 
face  hardships  for  the  sake  of  communicating  the  gospel 
message,  their  call  is  just  as  divine  and  just  as  important. 
The  splendor  of  their  spirit  and  the  nobility  of  their  achieve- 
ments have  already  become  known,  for  thousands  of  souls 
have  been  brought  to  a  knowledge  of  the  gospel. 


",[T[7hen  a  missionary  accepts  a  call  for  a  two-year  mission 
v "  at  home,  it  is  a  sacred  promise  to  God  that  he  will  go 
forth  with  joy  and  faith  to  explain  the  message  of  eternal 
life.  He  may  fear  at  first,  but  at  second  thought,  he  recalls 
the  words  of  Paul  the  Apostle  when  he  wrote  to  Timothy: 

When  I  call  thee  to  remembrance  the  unfeigned  faith  that  is  in 
thee,  which  dwelt  first  in  thy  grandmother  Lois,  and  thy  mother 
Eunice;  and  I  am  persuaded  that  in  thee  also. 

Wherefore  I  put  thee  in  remembrance  that  thou  stir  up  the  gift 
of  God,  which  is  in  thee  by  the  putting  on  of  my  hands. 

For  God  hath  not  given  us  the  spirit  of  fear;  but  of  power,  and 
of  love,  and  of  a  sound  mind   (2  Timothy  1:5-7). 

As  you  go  out  to  make  calls  during  certain  nights  of  the 
week,  remember  that  the  value  of  your  work  lies  in  the 
spirit  in  which  it  is  done.  With  your  gifts  and  opportuni- 
ties, you  converse  with  men  and  women  of  all  classes,  and 
show  them  how  to  glorify  their  lives  through  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ.  "In  God's  sight,"  wrote  an  old  teacher, 
"no  one  is  so  weak  or  stupid  or  ill-educated  as  to  be  unable 
to  find  the  key  of  life."  The  call  you  have  accepted  is 
something  much  bigger  than  can  be  met  by  any  ethical 
code  or  any  teaching  of  philosophy.  Your  call  is  an  answer 
to  God's  love,  and  it  means  the  giving  of  your  whole  nature 
to  Him.  The  readiness  to  make  any  sacrifice  to  make  you 
capable  of  giving  that  service  worthily  will  characterize 
you  as  a  "true  disciple  of  the  Master."  Every  bit  of  work 
you  do  is  worth  doing  to  the  best  of  your  powers  because  it 
will  be  blessed  of  God.  And  that  dignifies  your  lives.  You 
teach  the  same  lesson  to  whomever  you  meet.  In  teaching 
the  Israelites,  Moses  began  by  telling  them  that  there  was 
glory  in  the  perfectness  of  the  service  which  a  man  gave 
even  in  the  fixing  of  a  tent  peg  in  relation  to  the  Taber- 
nacle, and  saying  that  the  craftsmen  and  carpenters  were 
inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost  when  they  did  their  best  work. 


"V^ou  are  capable,  my  fellow  missionaries,  of  doing  better 
work  than  you  have  ever  done  before.  To  be  a  mis- 
sionary is  to  be  a  teacher.  To  teach  is  to  study  hard  and 
to  think  over  what  you  read  and  see.  Learning  is  often 
very  laborious,  but  you  will  find  that  by  hard  work  you 
will  improve  and  develop  your  minds  from  day  to  day.  No 
gifts  of  God  can  be  of  avail,  without  hard  work. 

*       *       *       * 

One  of  the  most  noted  scholars  of  the  Bible,  who  once 
taught  Old  Testament  literature  at  Oxford  University,  spent 
426 


thirty-eight  years  in  studying  the  book  of  Exodus,  and  many 
men  have  spent  a  life-time  in  studying  the  Book  of  Job. 
Think  what  it  is  to  study  the  First  Book  of  Nephi  in  the 
Book  of  Mormon.  One  student  has  spent  many  years  on 
the  first  chapter  alone.  There  is  a  glorious  compensation 
in  studying  the  Church  works.  They  stimulate  thought  of 
the  highest  order.  You  missionaries  should  stir  up  the  gift 
within  you  by  transcendent  thinking  and  activity  which  will 
characterize  your  lives  as  high  and  noble.  It  is  the  gift  of 
the  Priesthood  alone  that  will  make  you  true  Christians. 
Turn  your  thoughts  forward.  The  gospel  has  been  given 
to  the  earth  again,  and  the  missionary  work  is  the  most  im- 
portant activity  by  far  in  the  Church  today. 


pVERY  mission  president  should  call  his  brethren  of  the 
"■""'  mission  together  on  stated  occasions  for  discussion  and 
advice,  and  to  inspire  them  with  zeal,  for  it  is  not  only  the 
matter  but  the  manner,  not  only  the  doctrine,  but  the  man 
that  has  power.  Refer  to  the  sermons  which  the  Prophet 
Joseph  Smith  or  President  Brigham  Young  gave  in  the  early 
days  of  the  Church,  and  then  the  sermons  of  our  beloved 
President  Grant.  How  they  stirred  the  hearts  of  men  who 
listened  to  them!  When  read,  one  wonders  just  what  it 
was  that  moved  the  people.  It  was  the  voice  that  carried 
the  heart  in  every  tone  of  it,  the  swift,  turbulent,  over- 
whelming utterance,  which  aimed  to  leave  no  soul  un- 
touched, unillumined,  or  unmoved.  They  gave  the  word  of 
God,  and  the  greatest  and  most  enduring  satisfaction  comes 
in  one's  influence  upon  individuals;  in  guiding  them,  mould- 
ing them,  helping  them,  saving  them.  There  is  no  person 
living  who  at  some  time  does  not  need  such  help;  and  the 
gift  of  administering  it  by  tact,  with  patience,  with  con- 
viction, and  with  enduring  effect  is  one  of  the  mightiest 
that  a  human  being  can  express. 


HThe  stake  missionaries  are  called,  and  properly  so,  by  the 
■*■  presidents  of  stakes.  The  divine  calling  is  just  as  ef- 
ficacious as  if  it  were  made  by  the  President  of  the  Church 
direct.  This  must  be  kept  in  mind.  From  this  true  point 
of  view,  there  is  something  noble,  something  ideal,  some- 
thing ineffably  rich  and  magnificent,  even  to  one  who  can 
only  divine  it  from  afar.  All  you  missionaries  who  are 
called  into  the  work  at  home  are  to  have  no  other  duties 
except  the  attendance  at  Priesthood  meetings,  quorum  meet- 
ings, and  sacrament  meetings.  The  work  is  too  important 
to  be  scattering  your  energies.  When  not  out  teaching  the 
gospel,  you  should  be  intently  studying,  and  this  study  will 
take  many  hours  of  your  time  every  week.  Remember  that 
work  with  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  can  accomplish  anything. 


TUf Y  fellow  missionaries,  as  you  accept  the  call,  do  so  with 
■L'A  prayerful  hearts,  for  if  you  are  to  understand  the  true 
meaning  of  the  gospel;  if  you  are  to  discover  and  release  the 
spiritual  power  that  is  within  you,  you  must  pray.  Jesus 
lived  a  life  of  prayer.  At  every  crisis,  before  every  decision 
that  He  made,  He  prayed.  His  disciples  came  to  Him  one 
day  with  the  beseeching  word:  "Lord,  teach  us  to  pray." 
Prayer  will  enable  you  to  submit  your  own  will  to  God. 
Through  earnest  and  constant  communion  with  Him,  you 
can  rise  on  steppingstones  to  higher  things.  You  will  be 
blessed  with  strength  for  the  great  work  you  have  to  do. 
"Be  loyal  to  the  royal  truth  within  thee,"  was  Tennyson's 
fine  line  to  Queen  Victoria.  — L.  E.  Y. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


WMHIIC  PMSIHM — 

CONDUCTED  UNDER  THE  SUPERVISION  OF  THE  PRESIDING  BISHOPRIC.      EDITED   BY   LEE  A.   PALMER. 


WARD  BOY   LEADERSHIP 

COMMITTEE  OUTLINE  OF  STUDY 

AUGUST,  1943 

Text:    HOW  TO  WIN  BOYS 

Chapter  VIII:  Winning  the  Older  Boy 
Group 

Quotations  from  the  Text: 

1.  If  younger  boys  are  difficult  to  handle 
due  to  restless  muscles,  the  older  boys 
— the  "Youth  Group"- — require  many 
times  as  much  understanding. 

2.  Many  a  mother's  heart  aches  as  the 
worldly  forces  begin  hammering  their 
certain  way  into  the  life  and  affections 
of  her  son. 

3.  Youth  is  naturally  revolutionary.  For, 
just  as  the  voice  changes,  so  have 
come  far  more  important  changes  as 
well. 

4.  Why  do  we  react  with  so  many  ob- 
vious shocks  to  boys  of  this  age?  Why 
is  natural  growth  so  little  understood 
by  sane  and  thinking  people? 

5.  How  would  you,  a  mature  man  or 
woman,  feel  with  suddenly  a  brand 
new  set  of  physical  and  mental  sensa- 
tions and  a  cartload  of  new  obligations 
and  responsibilities  thrust  upon  you? 
And  you  and  I  have  developed  minds 
and  know  how  to  evaluate  things.  The 
boy  can  call  neither  upon  a  mature 
mind  nor  years  of  experience.  In  con- 
sequence he  is  frankly  and  tragically 
bewildered. 

6.  How  can  a  boy  subdue  wrong  desires 
and  gain  mental  strength  to  meet  this 
newly  changed  world  into  which  he 
has  been  reborn?  The  argument  is 
readily  presented.  Now  a  boy  needs 
a  Savior,  an  Elder  Brother,  a  Guide, 
a  Rock  of  Ages.  .  .  .  You  can  help 
a  boy  to  think  through  to  God  as  his 
Maker  and  Christ  as  his  Savior. 

7.  You'll  fall  in  love  with  boys,  once  you 
see  inside  of  one  boy's  very  soul  by 
personal  contact.  And  what  was  ap- 
parently a  DUTY  will  suddenly  turn 
into  a  PRIVILEGE  and  you'll  thank 
God  for  it! 

Helps  [or  the  Class  Leader: 

1.  Discuss  the  essential  differences  be- 
tween the  teaching  techniques  em- 
ployed in  teaching  the  older  and 
the  younger  boy  groups. 

2.  In  the  light  of  the  above  discussion 
point  out  the  many  advantages  of  hav- 
ing groups  of  relatively  the  same  ages 
study  together.  (These  will  be  among 
the  reasons  why  boys  of  the  deacon's 
age  should  not  be  asked  to  study  with 
the  priests'  age  group,  etc.) 

3.  Discuss  how  class  forums  and  discus- 
sions assist  the  older  boy  group  in 
making  sound  personal  decisions. 

4.  How  may  leaders  assist  these  young 
men  most  effectively  in  the  light  of 
their  own  innate  characteristics  and 
the  problems  of  the  present  day? 

JULY,  1943 


Should  iBsl  KsJxL  S&pwvalsrfi^ 


/"\ne  of  the  reasons  why  young  men 
^  do  not  care  to  attend  Priesthood 
meeting,  in  many  instances,  is  the  ten- 
dency of  some  ward  bishops  to  have 
the  priests  meet  with  the  elders,  or  the 
teachers  meet  with  the  deacons,  or  all 
of  the  Aaronic  Priesthood  meet  to- 
gether, or  some  other  combination  when 
there  are  only  a  few  present  in  each 
group.  These  objections  are  registered 
by  the  boys  themselves.  Their  conten- 
tion is  right,  and  should  be  borne  in 
mind  by  all  Aaronic  Priesthood  lead- 
ers. 

The  Presiding  Bishopric  recommends 
that,  without  exception,  separate  quo- 


rum or  group  meetings  be  held,  even 
though  only  one  or  two  are  present  in 
each  group.  Some  of  the  finest  Priest- 
hood group  meetings  being  reported  are 
held  when  only  one  or  two  boys  at- 
tend. Why  should  any  young  man  who 
resides  in  a  ward  where  there  are  only 
two  or  three  of  his  age  group  be  denied 
the  opportunities  and  care  he  would 
enjoy  if  he  lived  in  a  larger  ward? 


Qholknqinq.  dbu&idd. 


£xjcqL  in*  (pMJi&tlwDjcL 


HBB9R9&G& 


AARONIC    PRIESTHOOD,    W00LF0RD    WARD, 
ALBERTA  STAKE 


HPhe  teachers  and  deacons  pictured 
A  above  with  the  ward  bishopric, 
have  established  an  excellent  record  in 
Priesthood  activity.  According  to  a  re- 
port submitted  by  Bishop  "William  M. 
Barrus  and  counselors  Basil  Glines  and 
A.  Leroy  Pitcher,  these  young  men 
filled  an  average  of  eighty-two  Priest- 
hood assignments  each  during  1942. 
They  established  a  one  hundred  percent 
attendance  record  at  quorum  meeting, 
payment  of  tithing,  observance  of  the 
Word  of  Wisdom,  and  participation  in 
the  Church  Welfare  program. 

Each  of  these  young  men  was 
awarded  the  individual  Certificate  of 
Award  and  their  groups  received  the 
Standard  Quorum  Award.  The  deacons 
have  earned  the  latter  award  for  seven 
consecutive  years. 


NORMAN  FINLAY,  a 
Teacher  in  the  Noeth 
Shore  Ward,  Chicago 
Stake,  has  a  100% 
attendance  record  at 
Priesthood  meeting, 
Sunday  School,  and 
Sacrament  meeting 
during  the  past  three 
years.  Norman  is  de- 
voted to  the  Church 
and  is  grateful  for  its 
opportunities  for  serv- 
ice. 


T)riests,  teachers,  and  deacons,  having 
a  one  hundred  percent  attendance 
record  for  three  years  or  more  at  Priest- 
hood meeting,  sacrament  meeting,  Sun- 
day School,  or  Y.M.M.I.A.  are  invited 
to  submit  their  records  and  their  photo- 
graphs to  the  Presiding  Bishopric,  40 
North  Main  Street,  Salt  Lake  City, 
Utah,  for  publication  in  this  column.  In- 
formation submitted  should  include: 
full  name,  age,  Priesthood  held,  and  at- 
tendance records  at  any  or  all  of  the 
above  organizations  or  meetings,  and 
any  other  information  which  may  be  of 
interest. 

Bishops  will  be  glad  to  assist  young 
men  in  submitting  their  records  and  to 
certify  their  accuracy. 


Qhsudc  SiondoAxL 

Qjwuutl  GwcUuL 

fou&idA,  Tbiv 

/^\ne  half  of  1943  is  history.  We  can- 
^-*  not  now  change  the  records  we 
have  made.  We  can,  however,  make 
a  thorough  check  of  them  with  a  view 
to  improving  upon  them  in  an  attempt  to 
qualify  Aaronic  Priesthood  quorums 
for  the  Standard  Quorum  Award.  This 
matter  should  receive  immediate  atten- 
tion. 

427 


mm  n mm 


CONDUCTED  UNDER  THE  SUPERVISION  OF  THE  PRESIDING  BISHOPRIC.      EDITED  BY  LEE  A.   PALMER. 


A  WARD  TEACHER  FOR  FORTY- 
FIVE  YEARS 


D.  ROLLA 
HARRIS 


rjxcEPT  for  the  time  spent  on  three 
'L'  long-term  foreign  missions,  Brother 
Harris  has  served  continuously  for 
forty-five  years  as  a  ward  teacher.  He 
has  served  in  this  capacity  during  the 
administration  of  seven  bishops.  At 
seventy-four  years  of  age  he  is  still  en- 
thusiastic in  his  work  among  the  Saints. 

His  own  account  of  his  activities  as 
a  ward  teacher,  certified  by  Bishop 
John  W.  Stoker,  Sugar  Second  Ward, 
Rexburg  Stake,  is  so  full  of  inspiration 
that  we  quote  it  below  and  recommend 
its  careful  study. 

During  the  forty-five  years  I  have  served 
as  a  ward  teacher,  I  have  never  been  asked 
for  my  report  either  by  the  bishop  or  ward 
clerk.  I  established  a  rule  of  doing  this 
work  on  the  second  Wednesday  of  each 
month,  and  have  followed  that  as  closely 
as  conditions  would  permit.  I  have  never 
missed  a  family- — notwithstanding  the  fact 
that  I  have  been  required  to  make  three 
calls  in  some  cases. 

Most  of  the  time  I  have  been  given  young 
teachers  as  my  companions.  In  several 
cases  I  have  had  Aaronic  Priesthood  mem- 
bers over  twenty-one  years  of  age  as  my 
companions.  Most  of  these  have  made 
good,  and  have  expressed  appreciation  for 
the  opportunity. 

Before  going  out  on  our  calls,  we  have 
met  either  in  my  home  or  theirs  and  have 
gone  over  the  subject  matter  carefully. 
Afterwards  we  have  gone  before  the  Lord 
in  prayer,  asking  Him  to  inspire  our  minds 
by  bringing  to  our  remembrance  that  which 
He  would  have  us  say,  and  to  bless  the 
people  we  were  to  meet  and  prepare  their 
hearts  to  receive  us  that  we  all  might  be 
mutually  benefited. 

I  can  say  truthfully  that  although  I  have 
greatly  enjoyed  my  mission  work,  this  call- 
ing as  ward  teacher  has  given  me  the  great- 
est thrill  of  my  life.  I  consider  it  a  very 
high  and  holy  calling.  I  have  come  to  this 
conclusion:  One  does  not  need  to  go  hun- 
dreds or  thousands  of  miles  away  to  enjoy 

428 


WARD  TEACHERS 

The  teacher's  duty  is  to  watch  over  the  church  always,  and  be  with 
and  strengthen  them; 

And  see  that  there  is  no  iniquity  in  the  church,  neither  hardness  with 
each  other,  neither  lying,  backbiting,  nor  evil  speaking; 

And  see  that  the  church  meet  together  often,  and  also  see  that  all  the 
members  do  their  duty.    (D.  &  C.  20:53-55. ) 

FOR  WHAT  DO  WE  LIVE? 

Tt  is  reported  that  a  Latter-day  Saint  father  was  once  asked  what  his  oc- 
A  cupation  was.  He  quickly  replied,  "Raising  nine  sons."  His  questioner, 
thinking  the  father  did  not  understand,  asked  again— "But  what  is  your 
real  occupation?"  The  father  answered,  "My  occupation  is  the  raising  of 
nine  sons  in  honor  before  the  Lord — I  make  my  living  at  farming." 

Contrast  the  above  attitude  with  that  expressed  in  the  following  com- 
ment written  by  another  Latter-day  Saint  father: 

As  a  tin  worker  I  enjoy  my  work,  and  believe  that  others  in  different  trades 
get  pleasure  out  of  their  work  even  as  I. 

From  time  to  time  the  Church  has  contacted  me,  and  tried  to  get  me  interested, 
but  I  feel  that  I  have  not  the  ability  or  talent  to  work  in  the  Church.  I  have  my 
own  free  agency  and  feel  that  I  should  keep  out  of  Church  and  do  what  I  am  best 
qualified  for. 

To  the  former,  his  chosen  method  of  making  "a  living"  served  only  as 
a  means  to  the  end.  To  the  latter,  his  occupation  is  both  the  means  and  end. 
The  former  has  the  "set  of  his  soul"  adjusted  to  eternal  values.  The  latter's 
kingdom  will  crumble  at  his  feet  with  the  passing  of  his  life.  He  will  face 
eternity  empty-handed,  with  a  vacant  soul  and  an  aching  heart  unless  he 
experiences  a  change  of  heart. 

A  consuming  desire  for  material  wealth  and  earthly  fame  blights  the 
soul  and  corrodes  the  spiritual  intellect.  It  teaches  man  to  get  all  and  give 
little  or  nothing.    It  disarms  his  potential  powers  for  good.    Jesus  asked: 

For  what  shall  it  profit  a  man,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his 
own  soul? 

Or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul?    (Mark  8:36-37.) 

The  soul  which  projects  itself  into  constructive  usefulness,  with  vision 
fixed  only  on  eternal  horizons,  waits  upon  the  future  with  breathless  anti- 
cipation. His  day  of  progressive  life  is  never  overtaken  by  the  night  of 
spiritual  death.    Ever  forward  and  upward  doth  his  trail  lead. 

Latter-day  Saints :   For  what  do  we  live? 

Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures  upon  earth,  where  moth  and  rust  doth 
corrupt,  and  where  thieves  break  through  and  steal: 

But  lay  up  for  yourselves  treasures  in  heaven,  where  neither  moth  nor  rust  doth 
corrupt,  and  where  thieves  do  not  break  through  nor  steal: 

For  where  your  treasure  is,  there  will  your  heart  be  also.    (Matt.  6: 19-21.) 


his  work  and  to  be  accepted  of  our  Heaven- 
ly Father.  We  need  only  do  our  full  duty, 
whatever  it  may  be,  and  do  it  in  humility 
with  an  honest  heart. 

I  am  not  seeking  the  honors  of  men.  All 
I  want  is  to  do  my  duty  in  whatever  I  am 
asked  to  do,  and  to  trust  the  Lord  to  pro- 
vide the  harvest. 


■   ^>    i 


Reporting  a  Ward  Teacher's  Visit 

Tt  is  respectfully  suggested  that  ward 
■"■  teachers  take  no  credit  for  a  visit  un- 
less a  visit  is  actually  made  in  the  home. 


This  is  a  very  simple  and  obvious  rule, 
one  which  should  not  be  misinterpreted. 
Under  no  circumstance  is  any  other  in- 
terpretation of  a  ward  teacher's  visit  in 
keeping  with  the  rule  governing  this  ac- 
tivity. 

Some  brethren  with  good  intentions 
are  still  taking  credit  for  a  visit  when 
two  calls  are  made  at  a  given  residence, 
but  where  no  one  is  at  home  either  time. 
Various  other  infractions  are  reported, 
but  the  simple  rule  given  above  should 
be  carefully  observed  in  each  case. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


HYMNS  OF  THE  MONTH 


Hymns  for  Churchwide  Rehearsal 
During  July,  August,  September 


HELPS  FOR  CHORISTERS 

By  J.  Spencer  Cornwall 

Director,  Tabernacle  Choir  and 
Member,  Church  Music  Committee 

July:  He  Died!  the  Great  Redeemer 

Died,  Isaac  Watts,  George  Careless 

No.  247,  Deseret  Sunday  School  Songs 

Several  of  our  Latter-day  Saint 
hymn  writers  used  texts  of  foreign  ori- 
gin. Verses  by  Isaac  Watts,  Wesley, 
and  others  are  to  be  found  in  many  of 
our  well  known  hymns.  The  music  of 
this  lovely  sacramental  hymn  is  well 
suited  to  congregational  singing.  The 
chorister  and  organist  should  endeavor 
to  guide  the  congregation  so  that  breath 
will  be  taken  only  at  the  ends  of 
phrases.  There  should  also  be  a  slight 
retard  at  the  end  of  each  phrase.  Do 
not  hurry  this  number,  but  avoid  any 
dragging.  The  dynamic  markings  sug- 
gest an  effective  interpretation. 

August:    O  God,  the  Eternal  Fa- 
ther, W.  W.  Phelps,  Mendelssohn 
No.  192,  Deseret  Sunday  School  Songs 

The  words  of  our  own  poet,  W.  W. 
Phelps,  who  is  responsible  for  so  many 
of  our  finest  hymns,  are  here  adapted 
to  a  hymn-like  number  from  the  great 
master  Mendelssohn — -"Farewell  to  the 
Forest."  To  give  an  effective  rendi- 
tion of  this  hymn  it  is  quite  imperative 
that  it  be  sung  with  all  four  parts.  The 
arrangement  of  the  last  three  measures 
requires  a  well  sustained  alto.  The 
Mendelssohn  music  seems  to  be  rather 
well  suited  to  the  spirit  and  meaning  of 
the  text.  The  chorister  should  see  to 
it  that  the  singers  keep  going — that  no 
appreciable  pause  be  made  between 
phrases  as  is  recommended  in  the 
George  Careless  hymn  for  July.  When 
well  sung  this  hymn  is  very  impressive. 

September:    God  of  Our  Fathers, 

Rudyard  Kipling,  Isaac  B.  Woodbury 

No.  283,  Deseret  Sunday  School  Songs 

No  more  impressive  words  for  the 
conditions  of  today  are  to  be  found  than 
these  of  Rudyard  Kipling,  who  wrote 
this  caution  to  England  when  she  de- 
clared herself  ruler  of  the  seas  with  her 
magnificent  navy. 

Lord  God  of  Hosts,  be  with  us  yet, 
Lest  we  forget,  lest  we  forget! 

The  somewhat  simple  hymn  tune  of 
Woodbury  is  a  splendid  medium 
through  which  the  powerful  words  of 
Kipling  may  be  expressed.  It  does  not 
in  any  way  overshadow  or  obliterate 
their  meaning.  The  chorister  must  make 
use  of  the  divided  beat  in  a  most  skil- 
ful manner  to  keep  the  singers  together 
and  the  song  moving.  The  final  three 
measures  must  maintain  and  sustain  to 
the  end  the  impressive  words  "Lest  we 
forget." 

JULY,  1943 


PRELUDIAL  MUSIC— AN 

ENDORSEMENT  FROM  THE 

PRESIDING  BISHOPRIC 

A  recent  issue  of  Progress  of  the 
Church,  P.B.O.  bulletin  directed 
to  bishops  and  stake  presidents,  car- 
ries a  recommendation  notable  for  the 
official  support  it  lends  to  the  cam- 
paign quietly  but  insistently  being 
carried  on  to  make  sacrament  meet- 
ings increasingly  devotional: 

"In  an  effort  to  improve  the  tone  of 
the  sacrament  meeting  service,  the 
general  Church  music  committee  sug- 
gests that  during  the  preludial  music 
at  least  two  members  of  the  ward 
bishopric  be  quietly  seated  on  the 
stand  as  an  example  to  the  congrega- 
tion, preparatory  to  the  beginning  of 
the  sacrament  meeting.  The  Presid- 
inq  Bishopric  heartily  endorse  this 
recommendation.  It  is  not  conducive 
to  the  best  atmosphere  for  worship 
when  the  bishopric  and  speakers  are 
not  found  in  their  places  during  the 
playing  of  preludial  music. 

"The  playing  of  soft  sacred  music 
for  a  few  moments  before  the  begin- 
ning of  sacrament  meeting  should  be 
considered  a  very  vital  part  of  the 
service.  With  ward  leaders  showing 
the  proper  example,  much  will  be  ac- 
complished to  improve  the  impressive- 
ness  of  our  sacrament  meeting." 


HELPS  FOR  ORGANISTS 

By  Alexander  Schreiner 

Tabernacle  Organist  and 
Member,  Church  Music  Committee 

He  Died!  The  Great  Redeemer  Died 

This  hymn  tune  is  to  be  played  very 
legato.  Nevertheless  lift  the  fingers 
after  playing  the  first  chord  so  that  it 
may  be  repeated  neatly.  Breathe  at  the 
ends  of  all  phrases,  and  allow  the  sing- 
ers to  determine  the  length  of  the  breath 
in  the  middle  of  the  stanza.  Organists 
who  play  instruments  with  pedals  will 
find  their  basses  more  musical  if  played 
near  the  center  of  the  keyboard.  The 
bottom  E  Flat  an  octave  lower  is  too 
low,  and  booms  too  much  for  a  quiet 
devotional  hymn.  Try  it  both  ways  and 
convince  yourself. 

O  God,  the  Eternal  Father 

One  important  way  to  make  an  organ 
sound  as  if  it  were  a  living  organism  is 
to  allow  it  to  breathe  as  singers  do.  Or- 
ganists, perfect  yourselves  in  this  valu- 
able technique  by  playing  this  hymn 
tune  correctly.  Let  us  say  there  are 
four  phrases  in  this  tune,  each  ending  in 
a  dotted  half-note.  These  four  dotted 
half-notes  should  each  be  played  as  a 
half-note  followed  by  a  quarter  rest. 
Please  try  it  in  both  ways  right  now, 


either  at  a  piano  or  organ,  and  note  how 
much  more  life  and  buoyancy  you  will 
achieve  with  the  rest  replacing  the  dot 
after  each  half-note.  This  procedure 
is  correct  even  for  the  final  note,  of 
which  you  may  convince  yourself  by 
trial  both  ways.  Of  course,  there  is  a 
retard  at  the  close  of  the  last  phrase, 
but  the  last  note  is  actually  held  only 
two  beats. 

Each  of  the  four  phrases  is  slightly 
cut  in  its  center  with  what  is  technically 
called  a  caesura.  The  organist  is  there- 
fore obliged  to  observe  a  "catch" 
breath,  a  short  breath,  at  these  places. 
This  is  brought  about  by  holding  the 
involved  quarter  notes  only  half  their 
value,  and  following  them  by  a  cor- 
responding short  rest.  This  is  one  of 
the  secrets  of  the  art  of  organ  playing. 
Let  it  not  be  a  secret  any  more. 

God  of  Our  Fathers 

The  indications  mentioned  for  the 
above  two  hymn-tunes  likewise  apply 
in  this  one.  Play  the  music  with  a  cer- 
tain awe  and  reverence  and  majesty  to 
match  the  grandeur  of  these  powerful 
words  of  Kipling.  Let  the  sound  be 
fairly  loud  and  bold  even  if  it  is  a  pray- 
er, for  it  is  a  fervent  one.  Use  a  solid 
bass,  played  legato  except  for  the  re- 
peated notes. 

■  »  « 

Home  Night  at 
the  Braun's 

(Concluded  from  page  390) 

There  is  an  abundance  of  good  music 
at  our  house,  judging  from  the  number 
of  record-players.  Many  of  us  have 
started  individual  collections  of  classi- 
cal and  semi-classical  libraries.  Our 
song  fests  around  the  piano  are  de- 
lightful and  enjoyable.  We  have  those 
who  are  talented  in  singing,  in  leading 
music  and  playing  the  violin,  trumpet, 
accordion  and  several  who  accompany 
on  the  piano. 

Many  times  we  invite  our  investi- 
gator friends  to  enjoy  our  fireside  chats. 
We  try  to  prepare  programs  which  will 
give  them  a  basis  for  a  fine  opinion  of 
our  Church  and  impress  them  suffici- 
ently to  want  to  learn  more. 

We  are  mindful  of  the  trust  and  re- 
sponsibility which  is  placed  in  us,  and 
as  the  fire  flickers  out  we  ponder  the 
words  of  Bishop  Stanford  G.  Smith, 
uttered  on  one  occasion  when  he  joined 
with  us  in  one  of  our  nights  at  home. 

"I  feel  that  this  house,  just  as  the 
church  house,  is  blessed  and  hallowed. 
As  long  as  you  live  up  to  your  testi- 
monies, the  teachings  which  you  know 
to  be  true,  walking  in  obedience  to  the 
wise  counsel  and  supplications  of  our 
Savior,  I  feel  that  this  family  and  this 
house  shall  never  know  the  havoc  of 
bombs  and  shrapnel." 

In  the  dimness  of  the  room  by  our 
fireside,  we  sit  and  ponder  over  his 
words,  and  pledge  in  our  hearts  to  be 
examples  of  truth  and  righteousness,  to 
be  bearers  of  this  gospel  and  to  live  to 
merit  the  promise  of  our  bishop. 

429 


SIR  WALTER  SCOTT,  GENEALOGIST 


{Concluded  from  page  407) 
a  tale  of  Wat  of  Harden."  Through 
both  his  father  and  his  mother  he  was 
a  lineal  descendant  of  "Auld  Wat." 
Through  his  mother  he  was  also  a  de- 
scendant of  Sir  Walter  Scott,  of 
Buccleuch,  Knight,  known  as  "Wicked 
Wat,"  being  his  tenth  great-grandson. 
He  was  a  brave  and  powerful  baron, 
killed  in  the  streets  of  Edinburgh  in  a 
border  feud  with  the  Kerrs  ( also  Scott's 
ancestors ) .  His  death  is  referred  to 
in  the  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel. 

The  Lady  of  Branksome  of  the  Lay 
was  his  third  wife,  and  not  Scott's  pro- 
genitor, but  she  was  a  sister  of  another 
forefather. 

It  is  small  wonder  that  Scott  wrote 
Matmion,  a  Tale  of  Flodden  Field.  Sir 
Walter  Scott  of  Buccleuch  fought  at 
Flodden  and  lost  many  of  his  kinsmen 
on  that  field  of  bitter  defeat.  I  have 
counted  the  names  of  twelve  others,  di- 
rect ancestors  of  the  poet,  who  fell  at 
Flodden,  September  9,  1513,  around 
their  king,  James  IV,  Scott's  eighth 
great-grandfather.  His  own  note  states 
that  in  that  battle  the  Scottish  army 
"lost,  perhaps,  from  eight  to  ten  thou- 
sand men;  but  that  included  the  very 
prime  of  their  nobility,  gentry,  and  even 
clergy.  Scarce  a  family  of  eminence 
but  has  an  ancestor  killed  at  Flodden." 
One  of  Scott's  progenitors,  Sir  David 
Hume,  led  his  seven  sons  into  the  battle, 
and  perished  with  the  rest.  Archibald 
Douglas,  Earl  of  Angus,  old  "Bell  the 
Cat"  Douglas  of  Matmion,  was  not 
himself  in  the  fight,  but  two  of  his  sons 
— one  Scott's  ancestor — commanded 
the  old  earl's  followers.     "They  were 


both  slain  in  the  battle,"  writes  Sir 
Walter,  "with  two  hundred  gentlemen 
of  the  name  of  Douglas.  The  aged 
earl,  brokenhearted  at  the  calamity  of 
his  house  and  country,  retired  into  a 
religious  house,  where  he  died  about  a 
year  after  the  field  of  Flodden." 

In  concluding  his  summary  of  Sir 
Walter  Scott's  character,  Lockhart 
says: 

Scott  himself  delighted,  perhaps  above  all 
other  books,  in  such  as  approximate  to  the 
character  of  good  family  histories- — as  for 
example,  Godscroft's  House  of  Douglas  and 
Angus,  and  the  Memorie  of  the  Somervilles; 
and  his  reprint  of  the  "Memorials  of  the 
Haliburtons,"  to  whose  dust  he  is  now  gath- 
ered, was  but  one  of  a  thousand  indications 
of  his  own  anxiety  to  realize  his  own  an- 
cestry to  his  imagination.  No  testamentary 
deed,  instrument  of  contract,  or  entry  in  a 
parish  register,  seemed  valueless  to  him, 
if  it  bore  in  any  manner,  however  obscure 
or  distant,  on  the  personal  history  of  any 
of  his  ascertainable  predecessors.  The 
chronicles  of  the  race  furnished  the  fire-side 
talk  to  which  he  listened  in  infancy.  .  .  . 

These  studies  led  by  easy  and  inevitable 
links  to  those  of  the  history  of  his  province 
generally,  and  then  of  his  native  kingdom. 
The  lamp  of  his  zeal  burnt  on  brighter  and 
brighter  amidst  the  dust  of  parchments;  his 
love  and  pride  vivified  whatever  he  hung 
over  in  these  dim  records,  and  patient  anti- 
quarianism,  long  brooding  and  meditating, 
became  gloriously  transmuted  into  the 
winged  spirit  of  national  poetry. 

Whatever  he  had  in  himself,  he  would 
fain  have  made  out  a  hereditary  claim  for. 
He  often  spoke  both  seriously  and  sportively 
on  the  subject.  He  had  assembled  about 
him  in  his  "own  great  parlour,"  as  he  called 
it — the  room  in  which  he  died — all  the  pic- 
tures of  his  ancestors  that  he  could  come 
by;  and  in  his  most  genial  evening  mood 
■  ♦  . 


he  seemed  never  to  weary  of  perusing  them. 
The  Cavalier  of  Killiecrankie — brave,  faith- 
ful, learned  and  romantic  old  "Beardie,"  a 
determined  but  melancholy  countenance — 
was  never  surveyed  without  a  repetition  of 
the  solitary  Latin  rhyme  of  his  Vow.  He 
had,  of  course,  no  portraits  of  the  elder 
heroes  of  Harden  to  lecture  upon;  but  a 
skilful  hand  had  supplied  the  same  wall  with 
a  fanciful  delineation  of  the  rough  wooing  of 
"Meikle-mouthed    Meg.  .  .  ." 

The  ardent  but  sagacious  "goodman  of 
Sandyknowe"  (Scott's  father's  father) 
hangs  by  the  side  of  his  father,  "Bearded 
Wat";  and  often  when  moralizing  in  his 
latter  day  over  the  doubtful  condition  of  his 
ultimate  fortunes,  Sir  Walter  would  point 
to  "Honest  Robin,"  and  say,  "Blood  'will 
out.  .  .  ."  "And  yet,"  I  once  heard  him 
say,  glancing  to  the  likeness  of  his  own  staid 
calculating  father,  "it  was  a  wonder,  too — 
for  I  have  a  thread  of  the  attorney  in  me." 
And  so,  no  doubt,  he  had,  for  the  "elements" 
were  mingled  in  him  curiously,  as  well  as 
"gently.  .  .  ." 

His  first  and  last  worldly  ambition  was 
to  be  himself  the  founder  of  a  distinct 
branch;  he  desired  to  plant  a  lasting  root, 
and  dreamt  not  of  personal  fame,  but  of  long 
distant  generations  rejoicing  in  the  name  of 
"Scott  of  Abbotsford."  By  this  idea  all 
his  reveries — all  his  aspirations — all  his 
plans  and  efforts,  were  overshadowed  and 
controlled.  His  worldly  ambition  was  thus 
grafted  on  that  ardent  feeling  for  blood  and 
kindred  which  was  the  great  redeeming  ele- 
ment in  that  social  life  of  what  we  call  the 
middle  ages;  and  it  was  the  natural  effect 
of  the  studies  he  devoted  himself  to  and 
rose  by.  ...  I  suspect  that  at  the  highest 
elevation  of  his  literary  renown — when 
princes  bowed  to  his  name,  and  nations 
thrilled  at  it — he  would  have  considered 
losing  all  that  at  a  change  of  the  wind,  as 
nothing,  compared  to  parting  with  his  place 
as  a  Cadet  of  Harden  and  Clansman  of 
Buccleuch.  (Lockhart,  Life  of  Sir  Walter 
Scott,  9:235-242) 


SAM  BRANNAN 


( Continued  from  page  403 ) 
an  importance  second  to  no  county  in  the 
state.  It  is  said  that  the  Mormons  now 
located  near  Cajon  Pass  will  raise  enough 
wheat  to  supply  the  whole  southern  por- 
tion of  California  with  flour.  .  .  .  The  moun- 
tains near  are  covered  with  pine  sufficient  to 
supply  with  lumber  all  southern  California 
for  years.  .  .  .  We  understand  that  a  flour- 
ing mill  and  several  sawmills  will  be  erected 
there  during  the  rainy  season.4 

'"Phe  warm  hopes  of  Californians  as  to 
Mormon  industry  were  not  mis- 
placed and  were  amply  rewarded,  but 
construction  of  a  fort  became  the  most 
serious  and  immediate  problem  con- 
fronting them.  The  lands  they  were 
acquiring  stood  in  the  direct  path  of 
the  devastating  incursions  of  Indians 
from  the  Mojave  Desert  which  had 
plagued  the  ranchos  for  many  years 
previous  to  Mormon  arrival.  Renegade 
savages  to  the  south — many  banded  un- 
der white  leadership — had  long  carried 
out  systematic  raids  against  stock  herds 
and  homes  of  the  great  landholders  of 

*Los  Angeles  Star,  Oct.  4,    1851 

430 


that  region.  The  new  colonists  were 
confronted  by  Indian  hostilities  from 
the  start,  and  construction  of  proper 
fortifications  was  pursued  day  and 
night  until  completed. 

This  urgent  matter  delayed  some- 
what final  negotiations  with  the  Lugos 
for  full  possession  of  the  property.  As 
soon  as  the  fort  was  completed  Apostle 
Lyman  hurried  again  to  San  Francisco 
in  an  heroic  endeavor  to  raise  the  addi- 
tional funds  required  for  the  down  pay- 
ment. Meanwhile  the  settlers  them- 
selves raised  six  thousand  dollars  by 
selling  their  precious  ox-teams  to  a 
party  of  drovers.  Their  loss  was  only 
a  temporary  one  however.  Wild  horses 
were  the  cheapest  of  commodities  in 
southern  California.  Shrewd  purchases 
and  the  effort  of  breaking  the  animals 
soon  filled  the  need.  Apostle  Lyman 
was  equally  successful.  A  total  of 
$25,000  was  paid,  and  a  note  for  the 
remainder  given.  A  deed  was  executed, 
and  the  Latter-day  Saints  were  pos- 
sessors of  the  Rancho  San  Bernardino. 

The  great  tract  had  been  represented 


to  contain  a  total  of  eighty  thousand 
acres.  The  Saints,  and  apparently  the 
Lugo  heirs,  labored  under  the  assump- 
tion that  the  deal  now  consummated  in- 
cluded the  entire  tract  described  in  the 
Mexican  grant  of  1842.  A  Spanish 
clause,  unintelligible  to  the  purchasers, 
made  the  tricky  provision  that  eight 
leagues  (a  little  more  than  thirty-five 
thousand  acres)  were  to  be  selected 
by  the  grantees  from  the  larger  area. 
For  years  the  Lugo  family  had  pastured 
stock  over  the  entire  San  Bernardino 
and  Yucaipa  valleys  without  ever  hav- 
ing confined  their  selection  to  any  par- 
ticular eight  leagues.  In  the  arrange- 
ment by  the  Lugos  for  confirmation  of 
the  grant  in  order  to  give  sound  title  to 
the  Mormon  purchasers,  their  attorneys 
filed  a  petition  for  clarification  with  the 
United  States  Land  Commission,  which 
approximately  one  year  after  the  pur- 
chase confirmed  the  claimants  to  the 
extent  of  only  eight  leagues  of  land.  By 
this  act  the  Saints  were  given  less  than 
half  the  acreage  they  supposed  they 
were  purchasing.    And  worse,  anything 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


SAM  BRANNAN 


beyond  the  eight  leagues  thus  confirmed 
automatically  became  public  land,  and 
any  person  locating  there  was  under  no 
obligation  to  purchase  from  the  Mor- 
mons. 

Unfortunately,  these  ugly  facts  were 
not  disclosed  until  long  after  a  city  had 
commenced  rising,  the  land  subdivided 
into  lots  and  farms,  and  splendid  crops 
growing  in  the  rich  soil. 

Tntil  the  city  plat  was  laid  out,  and 
^**  surveying  completed,  the  colonists 
lived  within  the  fort.  Over  a  hundred 
families  were  forced  to  crowd  into  a 
space  three  hundred  feet  wide  and  sev- 
en hundred  feet  long,  and  it  is  not  hard 
to  imagine  the  congested  discomforts 
they  endured  until  adobe  and  log  houses 
commenced  relieving  the  situation.  Cen- 
ter stake  for  the  city  was  driven  on 
"Temple  Block"  {now  Pioneer  Park). 
Streets  running  east  and  west  were 
numbered;  those  running  north  and 
south  were  given  such  typically  Mor- 
mon names  as  Far  West,  Nauvoo,  In- 
dependence, Salt  Lake,  Utah,  and  Port- 
land. 

In  April  we  reared  our  Bowery,  which  is 
an  adobe  building  sixty  feet  by  thirty;  in 
which  we  held  our  conference  April  6th.  .  .  . 
The  Bowery  is  occupied  during  the  week 
by  our  Day  School  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  scholars,  under  the  direction  of 
two  well-qualified  teachers;  and  on  the 
Sabbath,  after  the  morning  service,  by  our 
Sabbath  School  and  Bible  class." 

The  Saints  were  willing  enough  to 
Incorporate  sun-dried  adobes  into  their 
homes  and  public  buildings,  but  they 
stubbornly  shied  away  from  the  Cali- 
fornia architecture  of  flat-topped  roofs. 
Timber  and  split  shakes  were  a  neces- 
sity for  the  peaks  and  gables  of  Mor- 
mon dwellings,  and  one  of  the  prime 
necessities  was  tapping  the  forested  re- 
sources of  the  steep  mountains  to  the 
north.  To  bring  down  timber,  roads 
were  necessary.  And  the  first  Mormon 
road  to  timberline  was  through  the  pre- 
sent Waterman  Canyon. 

One  cannot  help  being  struck  by  the  as- 
sertion that  the  timber  on  the  mountain  top 
■would  be  easy  to  reach.  Those  who  drive 
along  the  present  Rim  of  the  World  Drive 
and  pause  at  the  point  where  it  crosses  the 
line  of  the  old  Mormon  Road,  realize  that 
only  to  men  who  had  conquered  the  almost 
insuperable  difficulties  of  the  trail  from  Utah 
to  California  would  the  proposed  road  seem 
simple.6 

A  letter  to  Salt  Lake  about  this  time  con- 
tains the  statement  that  the  road  cost  about 
one  thousand  days  of  labor.  ...  It  ran  from 
the  base  of  the  mountains  around,  or  pos- 
sibly over,  the  knoll  through  which  the  cut 
was  made  for  the  present  Pacific  Electric 
railway  to  Arrowhead  Hot  Springs  and  con- 
tinued upward  through  what  later  became 
Waterman  Canyon  to  the  steep  mountain- 
side a  mile  or  a  mile  and  a  half  below  the 
summit.  It  ascended  this  difficult  pitch, 
crossing  the  line  of  the  present  high-gear 
road  before  it  reached  the  top.     A  monu- 

*Letter,  Lyman  to  Richards,  Millennial  Star,  14. 
491 

eBeattie,  George  W.  and  Helen  P.,  Heritage  of  the 
Valley,   p.   1% 

JULY,  1943 


ment  in  honor  of  the  men  who  built  it  was 
erected  in  1932,  at  a  point  where  this  cross- 
ing occurred.7 

This  road  tapped  one  of  the  finest  of 
mountain  forests.  In  an  incredibly 
short  time  Charles  Crisman  had  a  sec- 
ond-hand steam  sawmill  in  operation. 

T  ike  the  problem  of  lumber,  every  ma- 
^*  jor  task  confronting  the  colonists 
was  solved  in  the  true  community  and 
brotherhood  spirit.  With  completion 
of  the  road  to  timber  came  the  neces- 
sity of  caring  for  a  bumper  grain  crop 
from  the  extensive  acreage  sown  in 
the  spring.  With  united  labor,  a  store- 
house one  hundred  feet  long  by  thirty 
feet  wide  was  soon  constructed  and  a 
grist  mill  commenced.  First  threshing 
was  strictly  by  hand.  On  August  7 
the  mill  was  in  operation,  and  flour  roll- 
ing from  its  stones. 

Apostle  Rich  was  absent  in  Utah  dur- 
ing that  first  harvest.  The  neighborly 
act  of  cutting  his  wheat  is  thus  recorded 
in  a  letter  to  the  Desevet  News: 

At  the  close  of  the  morning  service  [Sun- 
day, July  4],  it  was  agreed  by  a  show  of 
hands  to  celebrate  the  5th  in  place  of  the 
4  th  of  July.  The  day  worthy  the  occasion 
was  ushered  in  by  the  sounding  of  the 
Bishop's  horn  (Uncle  Grief's  six-foot  in- 
strument) ,  at  which  signal  the  entire 
strength  of  our  camp  came  together  at  the 
bars  of  the  Big  Field,  every  man  armed  for 
the  occasion.  After  a  short  but  patriotic 
appeal  by  the  orator  of  the  day,  it  was  con- 
cluded to  commence  immediately  the  festi- 
vities of  the  glorious  5th.  With  the  patriot- 
ism of  American  citizens,  and  brotherly  love 
of  Latter-day  Saints  burning  in  their  hearts, 
commenced  a  furious  attack,  and  the  living 
thousands  of  heads  that  at  sunrise  bowed 
gently  as  a  welcome  to  the  zephyrs  that 
floated  over  us,  measured  their  length  upon 
their  mother  earth.  No  accident  happened 
to  mar  the  festivities  of  the  day;  and  there 
was  scarce  a  cessation  in  the  somewhat 
dusty  work  until  the  entire  crop  of  General 
Rich's  wheat  was  cut,  bound  and  put  up. 
Thus  ended  the  first  holiday,  if  such  it  may 
be  called,  that  we  have  had  in  San  Bernar- 
dino.8 

'Ibid.,   p.   197 

8Deserer  News,    Sept.   4,    1852 


A 


UNMITIGATED 
By  Lorin  F.  Butler 

s  gentle  showers 

Traversing    sun-seared    fields    on    elfin 
feet 

Seek  to  restore  the  withered  flowers 

Laid  low  by  wind  and  heat 

And  mourn  because  they  fail, 

Remorse  traces 

The  wanton  steps  of  anger  with  bowed  head 

And  weeps  for  many  trampled  places 

Where  buds  of  love  lie  dead 

And  withered  in  its  trail. 


To  the  indolent  Spanish  natives,  who 
had  conducted  their  ranching  from  the 
saddle,  the  industrious  Mormon  must 
have  been  something  of  a  novelty.  For 
decades  the  raising  of  beef  and  horse- 
flesh over  vast  landed  estates  had  been 
the  accepted  form  of  wresting  a  living 
from  the  soil.  The  wealth  of  the  landed 
gentry  was  measured  by  leagues  and 
hoofs.  It  was  an  odd  scene  to  witness 
these  hardy  newcomers  extract,  with  a 
little  brawn  and  sweat,  as  much  wealth 
from  the  soil  of  an  acre  as  the  ease- 
loving  Californio  could  derive  with  all 
the  help  of  Indian  menials  from  twenty 
times  the  land.  The  report  of  the  Los 
Angeles  Srar  on  San  Bernardino's  first 
harvest  feast  indicates  how  generously 
the  fertile  soil  of  that  place  returned  its 
blessing  upon  the  Mormon  husbandmen 
and  their  colony. 

Saturday,  September  4,  1852,  was  de- 
voted by  this  entire  people  as  a  Harvest 
Feast.  Imagine  a  building  sixty  feet  by 
thirty,  in  which  is  usually  held  their  public 
worship,  schools,  and  business  assemblies, 
decorated  in  green  shrubbery  formed  in 
groups  and  devices  upon  the  walls,  and  in 
arches  interwoven  with  clusters  of  grapes, 
corn,  squashes,  cabbages,  onions,  beets, 
melons,  etc.,  were  tastefully  arranged  in 
various  parts,  within  and  at  the  entrance. 

Over  the  stand  was  inscribed  in  large 
capitals,  HOLINESS  TO  THE  LORD, 
and  beneath  this  in  letters  formed  of  ever- 
green, Harvest  Feast.  Among  the  speci- 
mens of  the  bounties  of  nature  was  a  stalk 
of  Indian  corn  nine  feet  nine  inches  to  the 
first  ear,  eleven  feet  four  inches  to  the 
second  ear,  and  sixteen  feet  to  the  top;  four 
onions  weighing  nine  and  one-half  pounds; 
a  cabbage  weighing  twenty- four  and  one- 
half  pounds;  with  melons,  squashes,  etc.,  in 
proportion  .  .  . 

A  song  of  thanksgiving  opened  the  serv- 
ices; then  followed  an  able  and  appropriate 
prayer  by  their  leading  man,  Mr.  Lyman. 
Then  another  song,  followed  by  a  short 
speech  from  Mr.  P.  P.  Pratt  [just  re- 
turned from  his  mission  to  the  Pacific  Is- 
lands and  South  America],  approving  of 
merry-making,  feasting,  dancing,  and  other 
innocent  amusements,  provided  the  whole 
were  conducted  in  peace,  good  will,  and 
with  thanksgiving  and  a  lively  remem- 
brance of  the  giver  of  all  good  things. 

The  violins  then  commenced  a  lively 
tune  while  the  center  of  the  room  was 
cleared,  and  soon  set  with  couples  for  the 
dance.  Messrs.  Pratt,  Lyman,  Rich,  Cap- 
tain Hunt,  Bishop  Crosby,  and  others  of 
the  aged  and  leading  men,  led  off  the  dance. 
After  this,  old  and  young,  married  and 
single,  grandsire  and  child,  mingled  in  turn 
with  the  dance,  each  taking  the  floor  as  their 
numbers  were  called,  and  the  others  in  turn 
looking  on.8 

Their  year  in  California  had  been  a 
hard  one,  fraught  with  discouragement, 
and  heavily  packed  with  drudgery.  But 
as  a  people  they  had  clung  as  one  in 
spirit  and  brotherhood.  Now  their  ef- 
forts stood  rewarded  in  bounty;  their 
hopes  established;  their  future  rich  with 
promise.  San  Bernardino  had  been 
born,  had  thrived,  and  God  had  smiled. 

{To  be  continued) 


BLos  Angeles  Star,  Sept.  7.   185Z 


431 


MISSIONARY  FOR  THE  CHURCH 


(Continued  from  page  413) 
them  enthusiastic  and  steadily  on  the 
job  until  they  finally  led  every  stake  in 
the  Church  in  total  number.  Stake 
President  Samuel  G.  Dye  gave  his  gen- 
erous assistance  to  this  work  and  in- 
spired and  encouraged  them  throughout 
the  year.  The  bishops  of  the  wards  also 
contributed  and  were  not  content  until 
every  home  which  would  subscribe  had 
the  magazine. 

'"Phese  are  the  leaders  among  the  group 
A  of  citation  winners,  but  their  re- 
markable records  were  possible  only 
because  they  were  stimulated  by  the 
outstanding  work  of  the  other  citation 
winners,  who  pushed  them  hard 
throughout  the  year.  In  Group  "A" 
these  are  as  follows: 

Moapa  Stake  placed  second  in 
total  number  of  subscriptions,  and 
third  in  percent  of  quota.  Their  total 
subscription,  683,  gave  them  a  percent- 
age of  264.5.  The  work  in  this  stake 
was  under  the  direction  of  A.  L.  Riddle 
and  Eva  Perry,  who  with  their  workers 
were  energetic  in  their  efforts  to  work 
towards  the  goal,  "An  Era  in  every 
home." 

Portland  Stake  placed  second  in  per- 
centage of  quota  achieved,  with  297.3 
percent,  and  third  in  total  number  of 
subscriptions,  with  610.  Work  in  this 
stake  was  carried  on  under  the  able 
leadership  of  Wilford  W.  Hardy  and 
his  fine  co-workers. 

Phoenix  Stake,  under  the  leadership 
of  L.  L.  Driggs,  achieved  fourth  place 
among  the  stakes  of  the  Church  in  total 
number  of  subscriptions  and  fourth 
place  in  percentage  of  quota.  Their 
556  subscriptions  gave  them  a  fine  rec- 
ord of  262.4  percent. 

Lethbridge  Stake  placed  fifth  in  the 
Church  in  total  number  of  subscrip- 
tions, with  549  as  their  ultimate  achieve- 
ment. Reed  C.  Ellison  ably  directed  the 
Era  sales  in  this  stake. 

Juarez  Stake,  with  Bryant  R.  Clark 
and  LaPrele  Bluth  as  Era  directors, 
achieved  fifth  place  in  percentage  of 
quota  with  238.9  percent — another  out- 
standing record. 

Taylor  Stake  came  in  sixth  in  total 
number  of  subscriptions,  having  sent  a 
total  of  521  during  the  year.  Work 
in  this  stake  was  under  the  able  direc- 
tion of  Donald  E.  Wilde  and  Emma 
Dahl. 

San  Diego  Stake,  also  among  the 
citation  winners,  placed  sixth  in  per- 
centage of  quota,  with  a  fine  record  of 
217.7  percent.  The  enthusiastic  leaders 
of  Era  work  in  this  stake  were  Kenneth 
Calder  and  Mary  Fitzell. 

East  Jordan  Stake  placed  seventh  in 
total  number  of  subscriptions — 5 1 4  was 
their  fine  achievement.  The  work  in 
this  stake  was  under  the  direction  of 
Albert  Black  and  Mary  Jenkins. 

Union  Stake  is  also  among  the  cita- 
tion winners  with  seventh  place  in 
percentage  of  quota — 231.7  was  their 

432 


achievement   under   the   leadership    of 
Melvin  Westenskow. 


In  Group  "B" 
were  as  follows: 


the   citation  winners 


Los  Angeles  Stake,  which  placed  sec- 
ond in  percentage  of  quota  and  sixth 
in  total  number  of  subscriptions — their 
fine  record  of  851  subscriptions  gave 
them  the  high  percentage  of  282.6  per- 


cent. The  work  in  this  stake  was  ably 
directed  by  Mona  Kirkham  and  Mervin 
L.  Saunders. 

Inglewood  Stake  placed  third  in  total 
number  of  subscriptions  and  third  in 
percent  of  quota — 1013  subscriptions 
and  282.2  percent.  The  human  dynamo 
in  this  stake  who  spurred  his  workers 
was  Brother  E.  J.  Sorensen,  veteram 
Era  director. 


GROUP  "B,"  NUMBER  OF  SUBSCRIPTIONS 

OGDEN  STAKE — President  Samuel  G.  Dye;  A.  Parley  Bates,  Y.M.M.I.A.  superintendent;  Lulu  P.  Child, 
president,  Y.W.M.I.A;  Melvin  L  Swenson,  Y.M.M.I.A.  "Era"  director. 

INGLEWOOD  STAKE — President  Alfred  E.  Rohner;  Rulon  W.  Stevenson,  former  Y.M.M.I.A.  superin- 
tendent; Elva  D.  Cusworth,  president  of  Y.W.M.I.A.;  E.  J.  Sorensen,  Y.M.M.I.A.  superintendent,  and 
"Era"  director. 

SAN  FERNANDO  STAKE— President  David  H.  Cannon;  David  G.  Watts,  superintendent,  Y.M.M.I.A.; 
Erma  J.  Greenwald,  Y.W.M.I.A.  president;    Ernest  G.  Haws,  Y.M.M.I.A.  "Era"  director. 

WELLS  STAKE — President  Thomas  E.  Towler;  Percy  K.  Fetzer,  Y.M.M.I.A.  superintendent;  Natalie 
Parsons,  president  Y.W.M.I.A.;  iA,  Y.  Stirling,  Y.M.M.I.A.  "Era"  director;  Alice  Coombs,  Y.W.M.I.A. 
"Era"  director. 

REXBURG  STAKE— President  Peter  J.  Ricks;  J.  Wendell  Stucki,  Y.M.M.I.A.  superintendent;  Con- 
stance  Brown,  president,  Y.W.M.I.A.;    Xenia  Nelson,  Y.W.M.I.A.  "Era"  director. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


MISSIONARY  FOR  THE  CHURCH 


San  Fernando  Stake  placed  fourth  in 
total  number  of  subscriptions  and  fourth 
in  percentage  of  quota — 985  subscrip- 
tions gave  them  279  percent  of  their 
quota.  Work  in  this  stake  was  capably 
carried  on  under  the  leadership  of 
Ernest  C.  Haws  and  his  fine  co-work- 
ers. 

Long  Beach  Stake,  under  the  able 
direction  of  Henry  Andrus  and  Frances 


A.  Soffe,  also  is  a  citation  winner  with 
fifth  place  in  percent  of  quota  and  tenth 
place  in  total  number  of  subscriptions — 
820  subscriptions  gave  them  their  fine 
record  of  263.6  percent. 

Wells  Stake  placed  fifth  in  total  num- 
ber of  subscriptions  with  a  goal  of  874. 
A.  Y.  Stirling  and  Alice  Coombs  di- 
rected the  work  in  this  stake. 

Snowflake  Stake  placed  seventh  in 


GROUP  "A,"  NUMBER  OF  SUBSCRIPTIONS 

SEATTLE  STAKE — President  Alexander  Brown;  Stanford  Bean,  Y.M.M.I.A.  superintendent;  Mabel  W. 
Tucker,  president,  Y.W.M.I.A.;  Leslie  Seal,  Y.M.M.I.A.  "Era"  director. 

MOAPA  STAKE — President  Bryan  L.  Bunker;  Marion  B.  Earl,  Y.M.M.I.A.  superintendent;  LaVerne 
Whipple,  president,  Y.W.M.I.A.;  A.  L.  Riddle,  Y.M.M.I.A.  "Era"  director;  Eva  N.  Perry,  Y.W.M.I.A. 
"Era"  director. 

LETH BRIDGE  STAKE— President  Asael  E.  Palmer;  Reed  C.  Ellison,  Y.M.M.I.A.  superintendent  and 
"Era"  director;  Caroline  Lee  Pitcher,  president,  Y.W.M.I.A. 

TAYLOR  STAKE— President  T.  Georne  Wood;  John  L  Allen,  Y.M.M.I.A.  superintendent;  Fannie  H. 
Walker,  president,  Y.W.M.I.A.;  Donald  E.  Wilde,  Y.M.M.I.A.  "Era"  director;  Emma  Dahl,  Y.W.M.I.A.  "Era" 
director. 

EAST  JORDAN  STAKE — President  Heber  J.  Burgon;  Hyrum  P.  Cannon,  Y.M.M.I.A.  superintendent; 
Mary  E.  Milne,  president,  Y.W.M.I.A.;  Albert  Black,  Y.M.M.I.A.  "Era"  director;  Mary  Jenkins, 
Y.W.M.I.A.  "Era"  director. 

JULY,  1943 


percent  of  quota  with  a  fine  record  of 
210.8  percent.  James  Flake  and  Aug- 
usta Flake  were  the  very  capable  Era 
directors. 

Rexburg  Stake  placed  seventh  in 
total  number  of  subscriptions  with  a 
final  goal  of  841  subscriptions.  The 
work  in  this  stake  was  under  the  direc- 
tion of  J.  Wendell  Stucki  and  Xenia 
Nelson. 

Maricopa  Stake,  under  the  leader- 
ship of  Ned  Newell  and  Helen  Cole- 
man, placed  eighth  in  percentage  of 
quota — 193.1  percent  was  their  credit- 
able achievement. 

The  goal  of  80,000  subscriptions  has 
been  reached.  Of  156  stakes  and  mis- 
sions, 142  reached  or  exceeded  the 
quota  set  for  them.  Fifteen  hundred 
wards  and  mission  branches  secured  a 
full  quota.  This  year's  Improvement 
Era  activity  has  been  a  delightful  ex- 
perience. The  close  harmony  between 
ward  and  stake  Era  workers  and  the 
office  has  been  most  gratifying.  May 
the  "Voice  of  the  Church"  carry  into 
80,000  homes  each  month  a  lasting  in- 
fluence for  good. 

CITATION  WINNERS 
Group  "A" 

1.  Seattle  Stake 

First  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 
First  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 

2.  Moapa  Stake 

Second  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 
Third  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 

3.  Portland  Stake 

Second  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 
Third  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 

4.  Phoenix  Stake 

Fourth  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 
Fourth  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 

5.  Lethbridge  Stake 

Fifth  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 

6.  Juarez  Stake 

Fifth  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 

7.  Taylor  Stake 

Sixth  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 

8.  San  Diego  Stake 

Sixth  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 

9.  East  Jordan  Stake 

Seventh  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 

10.  Union  Stake 

Seventh  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 


1.  California  Mission 

First  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 
Second  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 

2.  Eastern  States  Mission 
First  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 
Second  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 

Group  "B" 

1.  South  Los  Angeles  Stake 
First  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 
Second  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 

2.  Ogden  Stake 

First  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 
Sixth  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 

(Concluded  on  page  434) 

433 


MISSIONARY  FOR  THE  CHURCH 


( Concluded  from  page  433 ) 

3.  Los  Angeles  Stake 

Second  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 
Sixth  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 

4.  Inglewood  Stake 

Third  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 
Third  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 

5.  San  Fernando  Stake 

Fourth  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 
Fourth  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 

6.  Long  Beach  Stake 

Fifth  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 
Tenth  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 

7.  Wells  Stake 

Fifth  Place  Total  Subscriptions 

8.  Snowflake  Stake 

Seventh  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 

9.  Rexburg  Stake 

Seventh  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 

10.  Maricopa  Stake 

Eighth  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 


1.  Southern  States  Mission 

First  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 
Second  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 

2.  Northern  States  Mission 
First  Place,  Percent  of  Quota 
Second  Place,  Total  Subscriptions 


GROUP  "A,"  PERCENTAGE  OF  QUOTA 

PORTLAND  STAKE— President  George  L.  Scott;  A.  R. 
Standing,  superintendent,  Y. M.M.I. A.;  Rose  D.  Hardy, 
Y.W.M.I.A.  president;  Wilford  W.  Hardy,  Y.M.M.I.A. 
"Era"  director. 

PHOENIX  STAKE— President  J.  Robert  Price;  Wallace 
E.  Broberg,  Y.M.M.I.A.  superintendent;  Ethel  R.  Peter- 
son, president,  Y.W.M.I.A.;  L.  L.  Driggs,  Y.M.M.I.A. 
"Era"  director. 

JUAREZ  STAKE — President  Claudius  Bowman;  Claud- 
ius Bowman,  Jr.,  superintendent,  Y.M.M.I.A.;  Ella  R. 
Farnsworth,  Y.W.M.I.A.  president;  Bryant  R.  Clark, 
Y.M.M.I.A.  "Era"  director;  LaPrele  Bluth,  Y.W.M.I.A. 
"Era"  director. 

SAN  DIEGO  STAKE— President  Wallace  W.  Johnson; 
•Kenneth  T.  Calder,  superintendent,  Y.M.M.I.A.  and  "Era" 
director;  Idonea  T.  Crandall,  Y.W.M.I.A.  president; 
Lawrence  Crandall,  campaign  supervisor;  Mary  Fitzell, 
Y.W.M.I.A.  "Era"  director. 

UNION  STAKE — President  George  A.  Bean;  Nephi  P. 
Combes,  Y.M.M.I.A.  superintendent;  Kate  Metcaif.  presi- 
dent, Y.W.M.I.A.;  Melvin  Westenskow,  Y.M.M.I.A. 
"Era"  director. 


PIONEER  DIARY  OF  ELIZA  R.  SNOW 


{Continued  from  page  398) 
ded  on  one  side  &  only  covered  on  one 
side,  the  other  having  the  tent  thrown 
over  it,  &  no  chimney. 

Friday,  November  20.    Whiting  re- 
turn'd. 

Sunday,  November  22.    My  health 
■quite  ill,  the  day  very  fine. 

Monday,  November  23.  This  mor- 
[ning]  Warren  getting  quite  irritated  at 
bis  father,  threw  out  an  insinuation  that 
/  had  been  talking  to  Elder  Kimball 
against  his  wife,  which  is  as  false  as 
hell.  He  call'd  no  names  but  said,  "It 
is  one  that  we  have  been  supporting 
all  the  while  &  one  in  the  family."  Is 
such  the  grateful  return  which  I  am  to 
receive  for  sharing  the  disgrace,  &  for 
all  my  exertions  in  upholding  the  repu- 
434 


tation  of  this  unfortunate  family?  They 
are  &  have  been  as  kind  to  me  as  their 
circumstances  would  admit;  but  the 
Lord  knows  I  have  done  them  more 
good  than  all  the;  trouble  I  have  made 
them,  be  it  ever  so  much. 

I  am  reminded  of  the  feelings  of  Job 
when  he  exclaimed,  "Young  men  have 
risen  up  against  me  whose  fathers  I 
would  have  disdain'd  to  have  set  with 
the  dogs  of  my  flock."  Yesterday  the 
father  &  son  separated,  so  that  W[ar- 
ren]  is  to  have  his  living  charg'd  by 
weight  &  measure  until  he  can  provide 
his  own. 

Wednesday,  November  25.  Yester- 
day br.  M  [arkhaml  topp'd  the  chimney 
as  high  as  the  roof  &  finished  chinking 
the  house,  which  prov'd  very  fortunate 


for  our  comfort,  as  the  weather,  which 
had  been  very  comfortable  &  fine  for 
this  season  of  the  year,  became  very 
cold  and  blustering  towards  night  &  is 
piercingly  cold  today,  yet  sunny  & 
otherwise  pleasant  except  the  wind. 

I  will  here  make  honorable  mention 
of  Sis.  Green,  whose  kindness  to  me 
from  time  to  time  since  my  sickness 
shall  never  be  forgotten.  May  the 
blessing  of  the  Lord  rest  upon  her;  yea, 
she  and  her  family  shall  never  want  for 
friends  to  sympathize  in  trouble  &  to 
administer  in  time  of  need. 

Mother  Chase,  Sylvia,  &  Sis[ter] 
Green  visited  us— we  had  an  interest- 
ing time. 

Thursday,  November  26.  The  at- 
mosphere   a    little    modified,    Warren 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


PIONEER  DIARY  OF  ELIZA  R.  SNOW 


coming  into  the  room,  I  could  scarcely 
avoid  fastening  my  eyes  upon  him  since 
the  time  of  his  insulting  me  on  Monday 
— he  inquired  why  I  look'd  as  tho  I 
would  look  him  thro*.  Understanding 
the  spirit  which  prompted  him  I  thought 
wisdom  to  keep  silence.  He  said  it  was 
an  imposition  for  me  to  look  at  him 
so — &  also  he  understood  that  I  had 
accused  him  of  accusing  me  of  talking 
to  Elder  K[imball]  6c.  which  he  said 
was  a  lie  as  he  call'd  no  names.  Poor 
foolish  young  man,  I  wish  he  might  be 
better  cultivated.  When  he  first  was 
so  impudent,  his  parents  both  sat  silent, 
but  this  time  his  father  reprov'd  him. 

Loisa  &  Clarissa  visit  me  with  kind- 
ness.    The  day  very  fine. 

Sunday,  Nov.  29.  Yester[day]  & 
today  I  have  renewed  tokens  of  sis. 
Leavitt's  kindnesses  which  have  been 
many  since  her  arrival.  The  Lord  bless 
her  &  all  others  who  have  administer'd 
to  me  in  sickness.  Br.  Benson  arriv'd  on 
Friday. 

Last  eve  br.  Mfarkham]  ask'd  me 
what  I  had  written  in  my  journal  that 
W[arren]  was  scolding  about  so  much. 
I  gave  him  the  journal  to  read  after 
which  he  said  it  was  truth.  Br.  M  [ark- 
ham]  said  he  did  not  think  of  W[ar- 
ren]  meaning  me  at  the  time.  I  told  him 
I  thought  strange  that  he  was  silent — 
that  I  never  was  so  abus'd  in  my  life — - 
had  always  treated  W[arrenJ  as  a 
br[ other]  &  what  he  said  was  without 
the  least  provocation — that  I  always 
held  myself  above  such  insolence,  & 
should  never  condescend  to  contradict 
it — that  whoever  insulted  me,  was 
planting  thorns  for  their  future  path. 

After  making  the  before  mentioned 
insertion,  I  let  sis.  M[arkham]  read  it, 
after  which  she  said,  "Do  you  think 
you  have  been  disgrac'd  by  living  in 
the  family?  I  should  not  think  the  Lord 
would  require  you  to  live  where  you 
would  disgrace  yourself.  If  W[arren] 
has  insinuated  anything  that  you  are  not 
guilty  of,  I  think  he  will  make  it  right 
if  you  should  make  him  know  it."  I 
saw  she  had  a  wrong  spirit  &  made  no 
reply  to  whatever  she  said — and  indeed 
I  have  not  polluted  my  lips  with  the  silly 
subject  except  what  I  said  to  br. 
Mfarkham]  last  eve. 

Wednesday,  December  9.  Last  night 
the  Omahaw  Indian  Chief,  who  had 
been  living  in  a  tent  in  our  City  for  a 
week  or  two,  was  in  bed  when  some 
Indians  came  up — fired  5  or  6  guns,  shot 
the  Chief  twice  in  the  head — shot  off 
one  of  his  thumbs  and  shot  three  other 
Indians,  one  of  whom,  a  squaw,  has  an 
arm  amputated  today. 

Thursday,  December  10.  The  ground 
has  not  been  covered  with  snow.  On 
the  4th  or  5th  a  very  little  hail  was 
perceptible  &  a  few  flakes  of  snow  have 
fallen  from  time  to  time  since,  but 
scarcely  to  be  notic'd. 

Monday,  December  14.  The  day 
warm  &  sunny  and  the  thin  sheet  of 
snow  which  fell  in  the  night  for  the  first 
time  to  cover  the  ground  is  melted 
wherever  the  sun  shines, 

A  com[pany]    goes   up  the  river  to 

JULY,  1943 


look  out  a  location  for  the  Indians  of 
the  Omahaw  tribe  who  have  become 
quite  an  annoyance. 

Last  Thurs.  this  ward  held  its  first 
meeting,  which  is  to  be  attended  week- 
ly, an  order  being  establish'd  for  each 
man  to  give  every  tenth  day  a  half 
cord  of  wood  for  the  benefit  of  the 
poor  &  widows,  the  town  having  been 
divided  into  wards  for  that  purpose.* 

Yesterfday]  Cathferine]  gave  birth 
to  a  daughter.  Sis.  Leavitt  inform'd  me 
of  the  death  of  Eliza  P.'s  child.  O 
Lord,  comfort  the  heart  of  the  mother 
in  this  sudden  bereavement.  It  died  on 
the  12th  inst. 

The  Omahaw  interpreter  who  had 
gone  up  to  the  hunting  ground  on  an 
express  to  ascertain  the  truth  of  a  re- 
port concerning  the  massacre  of  several 
of  that  tribe  by  the  Sioux,  return'd  with 
the  report  that  he  counted  73  dead 
bodies. 

Wednesday,  and  Thursday,  Decem- 
ber 16  and  17.  Last  eve.  after  getting 
asleep  in  bed,  I  was  awaken'd  by  an 
unpleasant  conversation  (if  it  might  be 
so  call'd)  between  br.  M[arkham]  & 
wife  which  was  preceded  by  one  of 
the  same  nature  last  Sat.  morning.  Be- 
fore they  ended,  he  propos'd  "burying 
the  hatchet  &  being  better  natur'd  to 
each  other" — said  she  might  live  with 
him  or  not,  only  so  as  to  be  more  pleas- 
ant. 

Sunday,  December  20.  The  weather 
very  fine.  Yest[erday]  I  walk'd  with 
Sis.  Leavitt  to  Bish[op]  Whitney's 
which  is  the  3rd  time  I  have  walk'd  out. 
Luke  Johnson  &  br.  Pierce  call'd  on  me 
yest[erday]  mor[ning]  . 

Tuesday,  December  22.  Br.  M  [ark- 
ham]  &  Whiting  start  for  Missouri. 
Heard  of  the  death  of  my  Mother,  in 
which  I  feel  a  sweet  consolation,  inas- 
much as  she  is  freed  from  the  ills  of  the 
present  life — having  liv'd  to  a  good  old 
age,  &  been  useful  all  her  days.  She 
sleeps  in  peace  &  her  grave  &  father's, 
who  died  a  year  ago  the  18th  of  last 
Oct.,  are  side  by  side. 

They  are  gone — they  are  gone  to  a  kingdom 

of  rest— 
They  are  gone — they  are  gone  to  the  home 

of  the  blest 
Far  away  from  the  ills  of  this  lower  abode — 
They  have  gone  to  reside  in  a  mansion  of 

God. 

They  are  gone — they  are  gone  to  a  resi- 
dence where 

Noble  spirits  rejoice  in  their  presence  to 
share, 

2At  winter  quarters  our  extensive  encampment  was 
divided  into  wards,  and  so  organized  that  meetings 
for  worship  were  attended  in  the  several  wards.  A 
general  order  was  established  and  cheerfully  car- 
ried out,  that  each  able-bodied  man  should  either 
give  the  labor  of  each  tenth  day,  or  contribute  an 
equivalent,  for  the  support  of  the  destitute,  and  to 
aid  those  families  whose  men  were  in  the  battalion, 
[Mormon  Battalion]  and  those  who  were  widows 
indeed. 

Our  exposures  and  privations  caused  much  fick- 
ness,  and  sickness  increased  destitution;  but  in  the 
midst  of  all  this,  we  enjoyed  a  great  portion  of 
the  spirit  of  God,  and  many  seasons  of  refreshing 
from  His  presence,  with  rich  manifestations  of  the 
gifts  and  power  of  the  gospel.  My  life,  as  well  as 
the  lives  of  many  others,  was  preserved  by  the 
power  of  God,  through  faith  in  Him,  and  not  on 
natural    principles    as    comprehended    by    man. 

Eliza  R.  Snow,  quoted  in  Women  of  Mormon- 
dom,    (Tullidge),    pp.    317,    318 


Who,   thro'  all  their  long  absence  desir'd 

them  to  come, 
And  with  shouts  of  hosanna  they  welcom'd 

them  home. 

They  are  gone — they  are  gone  back  again 

to  pursue 
And  accomplish  the  work  there  appointed 

to  do; 
Crown'd  with  blessings  &  honor  they  yet 

will  return 
And  rejoice  with  the  friends  they  have  left 

here  to  mourn. 

Thursday,  December  24.  The  day 
delightful — Sis.  Green  sent  for  me — 
spent  the  evening  very  interestingly 
with  Sis.  Chase,  Sessions  &  Markham. 

Friday,  December  25.  Spent  the 
afternoon  at  br.  Woolley's  with  the 
same  com[pany]  as  yesterday. 

Sunday,  December  27.  Yestferday] 
spent  at  Sis.  Sessions' — came  to  Pres. 
Y[oung]'s  in  the  eve — enjoy 'd  this  eve 
the  pleasure  of  supping  on  a  bak'd 
turkey  in  comfpany]  with  B[righam 
Young,  Jfohn]  Young,  br.  [Ezra  T. 
Benson,  f father]  £>m[other]  Chase  Gc 
6c. — after  having  a  chill  of  the  ague  in 
the  forenoon. 

Wednesday,  December  30.  Yester- 
day] had  another  chill — spent  this 
afternoon  very  agreeably  at  br.  Pierce's, 
in  comlpanyj  with  Prest.  B[righaml 
Y[oung]  &  lady,  &  Loisa.  Br.  P fierce] 
conducted  Lfoisa]  &  myself  home  very 
politely  at  the  end  of  the  year,  1 846. 

At  Winter  Quarters — 1847 

Friday,  January  1 ,  1 847.  This  morn- 
ing take  leave  of  the  female  family  & 
visit  sis.  Sessions  with  Loisa  &  Zina 
[D.  H.  Young]  very  pleasantly.  Last 
eve  we  had  a  very  interesting  time  to 
close  my  five  day  visit  with  the  girls, 
for  whom  my  love  seem'd  to  increase 
with  every  day's  acquaintance.  To 
describe  the  scene  alluded  to  would  be 
beyond  my  pow'r — suffice  it  to  say,  the 
spirit  of  the  Lord  was  pour'd  out  and 
we  receiv'd  a  blessing  thro'  our  belov'd 
Mother  Chase,  &  sis.  Clarissa  by  the 
gift  of  tongues. 

Saturday,  January  2.  Stop'd  over- 
night with  sis.  Green,  visited  in  the  fore- 
part of  the  day  at  H[eber]  C.  Kimball's, 
much  to  my  satisfaction  &  spent  the  eve 
at  br.  Winchester's  with  sis.  Sessions  & 
Loisa  [Decker]. 

Monday,  January  4.  Yes[terday] 
return'd  to  br.  M[arkham]'s — spent 
this  day  at  br.  Smoot's  with  sis. 
[Phoebe]  Woodruff  and  Markham — 
snow'd  last  night  to  cover  the  ground — 
the  weather  today  will  pass  for  winter. 

Friday,  January  8.  Yesfterday]  went 
to  the  Store  for  a  dress  pattern  which 
I  have  in  exchange  for  one  which  br. 
Woolley  dispos'd  of  for  me,  which  was 
a  present  from  br.  Yearsley — call'd  into 
bishop  Newell  K.  Whitney's — he  came 
in  after  the  close  of  his  day's  business 
&  he,  sis.  W[hitney]  &  myself  had  a 
very  interesting  conversation,  at  least 
it  was  so  to  me.  Spent  the  afternoon  of 
this  day  at  br.  Pack's,  in  com[pany] 
with  sis.  Whitney  &  sis.  Markham. 
(To  be  continued) 

435 


PRESIDENT  EDWARD  J.  WOOD 


{ Continued  [com  page  409 ) 

to  the  church  they  had  belonged  to  all  their 
lives,  and  who  had  been  told  by  their  white 
missionaries  to  bitterly  oppose  our  Church 
and  prevent  it  from  getting  a  foothold  in 
the  islands.  These  native  councils  are  very 
well  organized,  each  member  having  certain 
authority  and  all  paying  due  respect  to  their 
head  chief.  It  was  when  I  first  met  in  one 
of  these  councils  that  I  remembered  what 
President  Cannon  had  said.  I  waited  until 
many  had  spoken  and  noted  that  they  were 
strongly  opposed  to  my  holding  a  meeting, 
and  while  others  had  yet  to  express  them- 
selves, I  saw  that  they  hesitated  in  order 
to  get  a  lead  from  the  head  chief. 

I  finally  edged  my  way  toward  the  head 
chief  and  was  given  a  seat  next  to  him,  and 
while  they  all  thought  I  was  listening  at- 
tentively to  their  arguments  against  me  and 
my  mission,  I  was  praying  with  all  my 
heart  that  the  heart  of  the  chief  would  be 
softened  toward  me. 

The  change  that  came  over  him  was 
marvelous.  Many  at  the  council  were 
amazed  and  at  his  suggestion  it  was  agreed 
to  allow  me  to  hold  a  public  meeting.  Most 
of  the  council  attended. 

The  natives  entertained  me  several  days 
and  ever  after  that  memorable  council  the 
chief  was  my  best  friend  in  the  village. 
After  several  visits  I  baptized  numbers  of 
converts  to  the  Church  and  was  instru- 
mental in  organizing  a  branch.  Often  I 
would  go  to  the  house  of  one  of  the  council 
who  was  opposed  to  me,  and  after  sitting 
by  him  and  allowing  him  to  speak  his  mind 
freely,  I  could  feel  a  change  come  over  him 
and  he  would  say:  "It  is  certainly  strange 
how  I  see  things  differently  since  you  came 
to  visit  me." 

One  day  while  visiting  the  native  vil- 
lages I  came  to  one  place  where  the  popu- 
lace were  preparing  to  go  to  another  vil- 
lage by  sea.  I  asked  that  I  might  go  with 
them.  I  noticed  that  while  they  consented, 
I  was  not  entirely  welcome.  However,  we 
started  out  on  our  journey  and  soon  we 
were  in  the  throes  of  a  fierce  gale.  It  blew 
so  heavily  upon  our  boat  that  we  could  not 
turn  back.  The  waves  threatened  to  cap- 
size us. 

One  chief  seated  in  the  end  of  the  boat 
— there  were  about  thirty-five  in  the  party 
— said  the  Mormon  missionary  in  the  boat 
was  a  Jonah,  and  he  suggested  that  I  be 
thrown  overboard  before  the  boat  swamped. 
Many  agreed  with  the  chief  but  before  they 
finally  decided,  and  while  our  boat  was 
rocking  furiously,  I  worked  my  way  by 
the  hard-rowing  natives  until  I  was  close  to 
the  wicked-looking  chief.  I  said  to  him  so 
that  all  could  hear  me: 

"You  would  not  throw  me  overboard," 
and  to  the  surprise  of  all  he  replied: 

"No,  I  do  not  feel  that  way  toward  you 
now." 

When  we  arrived  at  the  village,  this 
same  native  chief  took  me  to  his  house  and 
invited  me  to  hold  a  meeting  there.  Several 
months  afterwards  he  joined  the  Church 
along  with  all  the  members  of  his  family. 

Tn  the  year  1901,  President  Joseph  F. 
*  Smith  sent  Edward  J.  Wood  to 
Canada  on  a  special  mission  for  the 
Y.M.M.I.A.  He  was  so  impressed 
with  the  country  that  he  eventually 
moved  his  family  to  Cardston,  estab- 
lishing his  permanent  home  there.  In 
the  summer  his  home  and  grounds  are  a 
bower  of  lovely  flowers  and  foliage 
while  his  six-hundred-acre  ranch  on  the 
famous    Cochrane   Ranch    block   is    a 

436 


model,  one  of  the  show  places  of  the 
country. 

President  Wood  often  recalls  how 
the  blessing  and  honor  of  having  a  tem- 
ple to  the  Lord  in  the  midst  of  the  Latter- 
day  Saint  settlements  in  Canada  was 
impressed  upon  him  by  none  other  than 
a  representative  of  the  British  Crown 
in  Canada,  Lord  Willingdon,  then 
Governor-General  of  Canada  and  later 
Viceroy  of  India. 

He  relates: 

Some  years  ago,  I  received  a  telegram 
from  Lord  Willingdon  asking  the  privilege 
of  visiting  the  Alberta  Temple  along  with 
Lady  Willingdon  and  their  staff  as  they 
were  making  a  tour  of  western  Canada. 
While  they  had  included  only  the  larger 
centers,  it  was  made  clear  that  His  Excel- 
lency desired  very  much  to  view  the  Mor- 
mon temple  at  Cardston,  the  only  one  of 
its  kind  in  the  British  Empire. 

I  telephoned  President  Grant,  and  the  re- 
guest  of  Lord  Willingdon  was  granted  for 
the  vice-regal  party  to  visit  the  temple. 

It  was  an  outstanding  day  indeed  in  the 
history  of  Cardston  and  a  great  surprise 
to  thousands  of  people  from  miles  around 
when  His  Excellency  and  his  lady  and 
their  respective  staffs  arrived  at  the  great 
gates  of  the  temple.  Our  temple  workers, 
about  sixty  men  and  women  in  white  suits 
and  dresses,  were  waiting  just  inside  the 
main  entrance  to  greet  the  distinguished 
visitors  and  to  usher  them  into  the  temple 
proper.  This  was  a  history-making  event, 
for  it  was  the  first  time  a  member  of  English 
nobility  and  a  member  of  the  House  of 
Lords  had  ever  visited  a  Mormon  temple. 

We  met  in  our  temple  assembly  room, 
where  we  sang,  "We  Thank  Thee,  O  God, 
for  a  Prophet,"  and  our  Canadian  anthem, 
"O  Canada."  Our  temple  presidency  in 
their  order  gave  brief  messages  of  wel- 
come and  expressed  the  honor  we  felt  at 
the  vice-regal  visit. 

His  Excellency  Lord  Willingdon,  in  his 
very  sincere  and  cultured  manner,  voiced  his 
pleasure  at  being  admitted  to  a  Mormon 
temple,  which  he  had  long  desired  to  see. 
Among  many  other  interesting  remarks  he 
said: 

"I  hope  you,  my  esteemed  friends,  ap- 
preciate the  honor  bestowed  upon  you  in 
having  a  temple  here,  and  I  should  like  to 
know  more  of  what  it  means  to  your  peo- 
ple." 

I  then  asked  Her  Excellency  to  speak  to 
our  sisters.  The  Governor-General  hesi- 
tated for  a  moment,  but  finally  approved 
my  request,  and  Her  Excellency,  a  lovely, 
motherly  woman,  in  the  humblest  manner 
possible,  spoke  to  the  gathering  of  her 
pleasure  in  meeting  the  women  serving  in 
the  House  of  the  Lord  so  unselfishly  and 
devotedly  and  without  recompense. 

We  then  joined  in  singing,  "God  Save 
the  King."  When  the  benediction  was  of- 
fered, we  all  moved  on  to  the  beautiful 
baptistry.  We  stood  on  the  edge  of  that 
finely-sculptured  font,  and  had  the  oppor- 
tunity of  explaining  to  the  vice-regal 
party  that  most  of  the  baptismal  work 
performed  was  for  our  dead  kindred  as  had 
been  done  in  the  apostolic  Church  when 
the  Apostle  Paul  wrote  of  this  vicarious 
work  in  his  letter  to  the  Corinthians. 
Biblical  references  to  baptism  for  the  dead 
and  necessary  explanations  were  given 
and,  very  much  surprised  and  seemingly 
impressed,  Lord  Willingdon  remarked:  "I 
have  often  wondered  why  our  own  church 


does  not  do  this.  We  very  respectfully 
lay  away  our  dead  and  that  is  all  we  do 
for  them."  The  time  they  had  allotted 
themselves  for  the  visit  to  the  temple  was 
fifteen  minutes,  but  they  remained  deeply 
interested  in  viewing  the  beautiful  edifice 
for  forty-five  minutes. 

As  they  left  the  temple  we  stood  in  a 
body  in  the  outer  court  in  double  file  and 
received  a  warm  handshake  from  Their 
Excellencies  as  they  left  the  temple 
grounds.  A  few  weeks  after  their  visit  we 
received  large  autographed  photos  of  Their 
Excellencies  indicating  their  personal  ap- 
preciation of  their  visit  to  the  temple. 

Very  close  to  the  heart  of  President 
Wood  is  his  service  in  the  temple.  In 
this  work  he  is  joined  by  his  wife.  Sis- 
ter Wood  has  been  a  faithful  temple 
worker  for  many  years  and  throughout 
the  long  and  varied  ministry  of  her 
husband  she  has  been  in  every  sense  a 
helpmeet.  Recently  they  celebrated 
their  Golden  Wedding  anniversary.  The 
numbers  of  the  General  Authorities 
of  the  Church  and  other  officials  from 
headquarters  she  has  welcomed  and  en- 
tertained in  her  hospitable  home  are 
legion. 

One  story  of  his  temple  activity 
President  Wood  delights  to  tell.  He 
calls  it  "I  Have  Kept  My  Word,"  and 
truly  it  has  a  message  for  every  member 
of  the  Church.    Says  the  president: 

Quite  frequently  in  the  past  we  have  had 
junior  excursions  to  the  temple  from  the 
different  wards  of  the  three  stakes  in  our  re- 
gion. They  are  made  up  of  young  people 
ranging  in  age  from  twelve  to  sixteen  and 
are  always  accompanied  by  a  regular  gene- 
alogical worker.  A  meeting  is  arranged  for 
the  young  folk  in  the  temple  workers'  room. 
The  boys  sit  in  a  half  circle  and  the  girls 
in  the  other  half  circle.  We  appoint  a 
secretary  and  then  explain  the  significance 
of  their  visit  to  the  temple,  the  baptismal 
work  they  will  do  for  the  dead,  and  try  to 
impress  upon  them  what  the  Church  ex- 
pects of  them  as  they  grow  older. 

We  ask  them  if  they  have  any  of  their 
relatives  or  friends  who  might  be  ill,  and 
if  they  have  we  all  kneel  together  in  pray- 
er remembering  those  suggested  by  the 
young  people.  I  then  impress  upon  them 
our  pleasure  at  their  worthiness  to  come 
to  the  temple,  adding  that  it  •will  be  a  great 
disappointment  to  their  parents  if,  when 
they  reach  the  proper  age,  they  fail  to 
come  to  the  temple  to  be  married.  I  then 
call  for  a  show  of  hands  of  all  who  will  do 
their  best  to  be  married  in  the  temple. 

Seven  years  after  one  of  these  pleasant 
and  helpful  young  peoples'  gatherings  in 
the  temple  a  young  couple  came  to  the 
temple  to  be  married.  When  kneeling  at 
the  altar,  as  we  were  about  to  proceed  with 
the  ceremony,  the  young  bride,  to  my  sur- 
prise, raised  her  hand.  I  asked  her  what 
had  happened  and  she  replied:  "Brother 
Wood,  I  have  kept  my  word." 

I  said  I  did  not  understand,  and  she  an- 
swered: "Seven  years  ago  I  was  one  of  a 
company  of  young  excursionists  to  the  tem- 
ple; there  were  about  forty  of  us.  During 
the  meeting  you  asked  us  to  do  our  best, 
when  we  were  old  enough  to  be  married,  to 
be  married  in  the  temple.  We  gave  our 
promise  and  now  I  have  kept  my  word." 
Tears  were  in  the  eyes  of  all  in  the  assem- 
bly; truly  the  spirit  on  that  occasion  was 
heavenly.  After  the  ceremony  I  men- 
tioned that  this  is  what  the  Church  desires 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


—also  what  our  families,  our  communities, 
and  our  governments  desire — that  we  keep 
our  word. 

President  Edward  J.  Wood  "kept  his 
word"  with  his  people  thirty-nine  years 
as  their  stake  president.  He  has  been 
a  wise  and  courageous  counselor.  He 
has  preached  faith,  thrift,  community 


enterprise,  home  beautification,  a  fuller 
appreciation  of  home  life,  moral  purity, 
and  patriotism.  During  two  world  wars 
he  has  given  leadership  to  his  people 
and  his  blessing  to  the  boys  who  have 
responded  to  the  call  of  duty,  and  no 
section  of  Canada  has  given  more  of 
her  sons  to  the  armed  forces  than  have 


the  Latter-day  Saint  settlements  in 
southern  Alberta.  His  is  one  of  the 
strong  voices  in  a  troubled  world,  a 
voice  that  links  with  the  realities  of  the 
present  the  divinely-quickened  hopes 
for  tomorrow.  His  is  the  victorious 
life,  a  life  indeed  "filled  with  gracious 
years." 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE,  TUESDAY  MORNING  SESSION 


ALBERT  E.  BOWEN 

(Continued  from  page  396) 

So  much  for  the  means  by  which  re- 
ligion is  to  get  itself  into  governments. 
Please  notice  that  I  have  not  said,  nor 
do  I  believe,  that  the  Church  should  try 
to  manage  the  government. 

I  am  now  prepared,  purely  for  con- 
venience, to  use  the  word  Church  in- 
terchangeably with  the  term  religion  as 
I  proceed  to  ask:  Does  religion  have  in 
it  the  power  to  do  what  it  is  suggested 
that  it  alone  must  do? 

The  best  answer  I  know  to  that  ques- 
tion is  that  in  times  past  it  has  already 
done  it.  Given  the  same  conditions 
there  is  no  reason  to  assume  that  it  can- 
not do  it  again.  It  must,  of  course,  be 
at  once  admitted  that  the  Church,  as  the 
agency  through  which  religion  makes 
itself  effective,  is  greatly  weakened  for 
its  task  by  lack  of  unity  within  itself. 

Jesus,  the  fountain  source  of  the  re- 
ligion of  which  we  speak,  selected  some 
disciples  and  taught  them  His  message. 
Then  He  told  them  to  go  out  and  spread 
it  everywhere.  Shortly  after  He  left 
them,  on  one  day,  through  the  zeal  and 
fervor  of  their  conviction,  they  added 
to  their  body  by  baptism  three  thou- 
sand souls.  Ignoring  the  commands  of 
the  chief  rulers,  they  continued  their 
teaching,  filling  Jerusalem,  so  it  was 
charged,  with  their  doctrine.  To  all  in- 
terdictions Peter  answered,  "We  ought 
to  obey  God  rather  than  men." 

In  defiance  of  the  proscriptions  of  the 
emperors,  the  Church  projected  itself 
into  the  very  heart  of  the  empire,  and 
by  the  third  century  had  raised  itself 
from  a  position  of  despised  ignominy  to 
the  position  where  its  worship  had  been 
accepted  by  the  majority  of  the  people 
of  the  empire,  and  it  had  won  for  its 
members  religious  toleration,  the  right 
to  hold  public  office,  and  for  itself  the 
restoration  of  its  previously  confiscated 
property.  It  was  ever  in  the  forefront 
of  the  struggle  against  tyranny  and  op- 
pression. Through  the  long  black  night 
of  the  Dark  Ages,  the  Christian  Church 
kept  the  flickering  torch  lighted  and 
fought  the  long,  hard  battle  for  the 
rights  of  man.  The  Christian  religion, 
embodied  in  a  physical  organization, 
led  certain  dissenters  to  Holland;  it  took 
them  across  the  Atlantic  and  gave 
strong  leadership  in  fashioning  the  in- 
stitutions that  here  grew  up.  What  we 
have  lately  heard  so  much  talked  of  as 
the  American  system  could  not  possibly 
have  been  conceived  in  materialism.  It 
was  the  solution  of  the  problem  of  the 
age  and  was  born  of  the  travail  of  the 

JULY,  1943 


spirit  fostered  and  kept  animate  by  the 
Christian  Church. 

We  are  now  prepared  to  ask  why 
the  Church  has  lost  its  former  position 
of  influence  and  leadership.  It  would 
require  a  volume  to  answer  that  ques- 
tion. I  have  neither  the  time  nor  the 
sweep  of  learning  needed  for  the  task. 
I  can  venture  only  a  conclusion  which, 
to  my  comfort,  I  find  to  be  fortified  by 
the  opinions  of  others,  more  capable 
than  I,  who  have  given  consideration  to 
the  subject.  The  limits  of  time  compel 
me  to  an  over-simplification. 

The  conclusion  is  that  the  teachers 
of  religion,  the  Church  itself,  have 
weakened  in  their  own  conviction  of  the 
ultimate  truth  of  the  doctrines  their 
creeds  professed.  Being  without  convic- 
tion, they  have  not  taught  with  the 
voice  of  authority,  and  their  following 
has  floundered  in  uncertainty.  The 
causes  are  many  and  complex,  among 
them,  no  doubt,  being  the  profound 
changes  that  have  resulted  from  the  ex- 
tending of  the  frontiers  of  learning  and 
consequent  changes  in  habits  of  living 
and  measures  of  value.  In  external 
settings  there  has  probably  been  a 
greater  transformation  in  one  genera- 
tion than  in  a  thousand  or  two  years 
preceding.  It  was  brought  about  large- 
ly by  the  tremendous  strides  in  the 
physical  sciences  giving  man  such  un- 
dreamed-of mastery  over  nature.  It 
paved  the  way  for  the  glamorous  in- 
dustrial age,  the  age  of  invention  and 
mechanization  and  production,  which 
has  literally  revolutionized  the  condi- 
tions of  physical  existence.  Tools  and 
gadgets  and  mechanisms  assumed  a 
dominant  place  in  the  life  of  the  nation, 
and  we  came  to  regard  them  as  of  first 
consequence  to  our  welfare.  We  came 
to  be  so  obsessed  with  the  importance 
of  material  acquisitions  that  our  vision 
of  spiritual  values  was  almost  complete- 
ly obscured.  Man  himself  became  in- 
flated out  of  all  proportion  in  his  as- 
sumptions of  self-sufficiency.  He  looked 
at  the  work  of  his  own  hands,  and  he 
called  it  good.  He  believed  that  he  held 
the  key  to  the  mastery  of  the  world,  and 
that  by  his  own  power  he  could  create 
a  state  of  being  according  to  his  own 
heart's  desire.  Bigger  and  better  and 
greater  and  more  were  the  goals  of  his 
ambition.  Through  the  discoveries  of 
science  and  its  methods  of  investiga- 
tion, many  ancient  notions  were  found 
to  be  untenable;  old  errors  were  re- 
vealed, theories  exploded;  and  it  was 
believed  that  anything  which  laid  claim 
to  intellectual  respectability  must  be 
able  to  meet  the  test  of  the  scientific 
method.  Science  and  industry  deal  with 


objects  and  materials.  Their  fruits  are 
materialistic,  and  the  idealistic,  intang- 
ible things  of  the  spirit  fell  to  low  es- 
teem. Religious  teachers,  forgetting  the 
teaching  of  the  Master  that  life  is  \  .  . 
more  than  meat,  and  the  body  than  rai- 
ment" (Matt.  6:25);  forgetting  that 
their  mission  was  to  discern  and  pre- 
serve spiritual  values;  tried  to  accom- 
modate their  teachings  to  the  mood  of 
the  time  and  to  give  them  validity  by 
submitting  them  not  only  to  the  scientif- 
ic test,  but,  more  basely,  to  the  test  of 
the  habits  and  practices  and  likes  of 
their  adherents.  They  developed  or 
tried  to  develop  what  might  be  called  a 
theology  of  the  flesh  instead  of  the 
spirit.  Thus  science  and  the  practice  of 
the  market  place  prescribed  the  condi- 
tions of  religious  teachings,  and  the 
teachers  themselves  instead  of  being  in- 
spired interpreters  of  spiritual  values 
became  the  mere  echoes  of  the  men 
of  science  and  of  their  industrial  con- 
temporaries. As  an  editorial  writer 
has  phrased  it: 

The  Christian  leadership  has  passed  from 
the  hands  of  the  Church  to  the  hands  of  the 
active  and  practical  laity — the  statesmen 
and  educators,  the  columnists  and  pundits, 
the  scientists  and  great  men  of  action.  And 
this  is  only  another  way  of  saying  that  there 
is  no  true  Christian  leadership  at  all. 

And  as  a  parting  warning  he  de- 
clares : 

So  far  as  the  record  goes,  the  American 
people  would  do  as  well  by  their  souls  to 
follow  the  advice  of  the  industrial  leaders  as 
to  follow  the  advice  of  the  spiritual  leaders. 

Thus  the  flock  is  leading  the  Shepherd. 
.  .  .  So  long  as  the  Church  pretends,  or 
assumes  to  preach  absolute  values,  but  ac- 
tually preaches  relative  and  secondary 
values,  it  will  merely  hasten  the  process  of 
disintegration.  We  are  asked  to  turn  to 
the  Church  for  our  enlightenment,  but  when 
we  do  so  we  find  that  the  voice  of  the 
Church  is  not  inspired.  The  voice  of  the 
Church  today,  we  find,  is  the  echo  of  our 
own  voices.  And  the  result  of  this  experi- 
ence is  disillusionment.  .  .  .  This  is  a  pro- 
found and  absolute  spiritual  disillusionment, 
arising  from  the  fact  that  when  we  consult 
the  Church  we  hear  only  what  we  ourselves 
have  said.  The  effect  of  this  experience 
upon  the  present  generation  has  been  pro- 
found. It  is  the  effect  of  a  vicious  spiral, 
like  that  the  economists  talk  about  that  leads 
into  depressions.  But  in  this  spiral  there 
is  at  stake,  not  merely  prosperity  but  civil- 
ization. 

There  is  only  one  way  out  of  the  spiral. 
The  way  out  is  the  sound  of  a  voice,  not  our 
voice,  but  a  voice  coming  from  something 
not  ourselves,  in  the  existence  of  which  we 
cannot  disbelieve.  It  is  the  earthly  task  of 
the  pastors  to  hear  this  voice,  to  cause  us  to 
hear  it,  and  to  tell  us  what  it  says.  If  they 
[Concluded  on  page  438) 
437 


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4g&*SOt*%T-  SYRUP 
makes  them  Better  ! 


SERVE  delicious  Southern 
hotbreads  with  butter 
and  syrup!  Golden- 
rich  Mapleine  Syrup. 
It's  a  glorious  treat! 


makes  them  Better  ! 


< 


PERK  up  puddings  with 
syrup  topped  with 
cream.  Grand  for  cus- 
tards, too.  Make  the 
syrup  with  Mapleine! 


< 


makes  them  Better  5 


TRY  this  quick  sundae 
sauce— Mapleine  Syrup, 
hot  or  cold  on  vanilla, 
chocolate  or  fruit-nut 
ice  creams!   Perfect! 


•  •  and  here's  how  to  make 
Mapleine  Syrup  in  a  jiffy: 

pour  ...  2  cups  Boiling  Water 

over  ...  4  cups  Sugar 

add    ...  1  teaspoon  MAPLEINE 

Stir,  and  you  have  2  pints  of  delicious  syrup! 
Make  it  just  as  you  use  it ...  or  ahead  of  time. 
It  keeps.  Mapleine  gives  you  better  syrup  ...  so 
easily  and  at  a  saving!  Mapleine  also  flavors 
desserts  and  dainties.  Free  recipes  with  every 
bottle.  At  your  grocer.  Crescent  Manufacturing 
Company,  657  Dearborn  St.,  Seattle,  Wa<;h. 


MAPLEINE 

IMITATION  MAPLE  FLAVOR 


438 


ALBERT  E.  BOWEN 

{Concluded  from  page  437) 

cannot  hear  it,  or  if  they  fail  to  tell  us,  we, 
as  laymen,  are  utterly  lost  Without  it  we 
are  no  more  capable  of  saving  the  world 
than  we  were  capable  of  creating  it  in  the 
first  place. 

This  is  a  scorching  indictment.  But 
the  words  are  not  mine.  They  are  the 
words  of  one  profoundly  moved  by  the 
confusion  and  bewilderment  of  the 
times,  and  crying  aloud  for  help,  one 
who  recognizes  that  the  Church  must 
not  follow  and  relay  what  others  say, 
be  they  high  or  low,  but  must  lead  by 
declaring  the  voice  of  God.  I  have  not 
used  these  words  for  the  purpose  of 
bringing  under  rebuke  any  church  or 
any  teacher  of  religion.  Neither  has 
anything  that  I  have  said  been  with 
that  intent.  It  will  be  clear  to  you  that 
I  have  used  the  term  Church  in  its  all- 
inclusive  sense  and  not  in  reference  to 
any  particular  church.  Nor  has  my 
purpose  been  to  raise  any  quarrel  with 
or  to  depreciate  the  value  of  the  glori- 
ous discoveries  of  science,  or  the  in- 
dustrial benefits  that  have  been  born  of 
them. 

Indeed  science  itself  has  become  rath- 
er humble,  if  it  has  not  always  been  so. 
Its  great  exponents  seem  rather  gener- 
ally to  recognize,  as  Mr.  Langmuir's 
recent  broadcast  to  the  American  Aca- 
demy for  the  Advancement  of  Science 
shows,  that  in  the  field  of  human  be- 
havior, which  is,  after  all,  the  chief 
factor  in  government,  science  has  very 
narrow  limitations.  For  guidance  in  that 
we  must  look  elsewhere. 

I  do  not  say  that  the  Church  could 
have  prevented  the  wave  of  self-suffi- 
ciency and  arrogant  pride  and  gross 
materialism  that  has  swept  over  the 
land.  I  think  that  probably  arose  from 
forces  beyond  its  control.  But  the  mis- 
take of  the  Church  lay  in  its  abandon- 
ment of  its  own  convictions  and  its 
docile  acquiescence  in  the  flouting  of 
spiritual  realities  and  in  its  failure  to 
hold  fast  to  its  faith  in  the  reality  of  a 
living  God,  the  well-spring  of  all  re- 
ligion, and  without  whom  there  can  be 
no  religion. 

We  have  tried  getting  along  with- 
out God  and  religion,  and  we  see  where 
it  has  brought  us  to.  We  have  tried 
following  more  or  less  blindly  the  schol- 
ars, the  writers,  the  men  of  affairs,  and 
the  political  leaders,  and  we  view  with 
consternation  the  sorry  plight  to  which 
they  have  brought  us.  The  universal 
cry  for  spiritual  regeneration  gives  the 
Church  another  chance  to  save  the 
world  and  humanity,  and  offers  a  basis 
for  hope. 

The  early  Church  made  its  phenome- 
nal advancement  and  attained  its  great 
influence  because  those  who  bore  its 
message  believed  devoutly  in  it.  My 
purpose  in  speaking  of  these  matters  is 
to  urge  upon  you  who  are  gathered  here 
— the  members  of  our  own  faith — the 
leaders  in  your  respective  stations,  to 
teach  without  wavering  implicit  faith  in 
the  living  God  who  shapes  the  course 
and  destinies  of  nations  and  who  has 


revealed  and  does  reveal  the  way  of 
life  which  alone  can  lead  to  peace  on 
earth  and  good  will  among  men.  There 
will  be  no  enduring  peace  unless  and 
until  men  accept  the  way  of  the  Law- 
giver of  the  universe.  It  is  for  us  to  try 
by  every  power  of  persuasion  we  pos- 
sess to  get  men  and  nations  to  adopt 
that  way  and  to  stand  resolutely  against 
every  influence  and  power  which  tends 
to  lead  away  from  it.  I  yield  to  no  man 
in  love  of  country  and  devotion  to  it. 
I  have  spent  much  of  my  life  studying 
its  history  and  its  institutions.  And  I 
say  that  the  demands  of  patriotism  never 
require  us  to  endorse  what  is  not  moral- 
ly right. 

It  is  for  us  not  to  be  deceived  by 
slogans  and  smart  sayings  but  to  put  the 
teachings  of  the  Savior  of  the  world 
above  all  other  teachings  and  make 
them  the  standard  by  which  we  mea- 
sure all  acts  and  plans  for  action,  that 
His  righteousness  might  be  made  fruit- 
ful in  the  earth. 

May  God  grant  us  the  power  and  the 
wisdom  to  do  it,  I  pray.  In  the  name  of 
Jesus.  Amen. 


JOSEPH  L 
WIRTHLIN 

Of  the  Presiding  Bishopric 

Delivered  at  the  Tuesday  morning  ses~ 

sion  of  the  1 1 3th  Annual  Conference, 

April  6,  1943,  in  the  Tabernacle 

The  weak  things  of  the  world  shall  come 
forth  and  break  down  the  mighty  and  strong 
ones.  (D.6C.  1:19) 

One  hundred  and  thirteen  years 
ago  on  this  day,  April  6,  Joseph 
Smith,  a  young  man  twenty-five 
years  of  age,  met  five  other  young  men 
in  the  humble  home  of  Peter  Whitmer 
in  Fayette,  New  York,  and  according 
to  divine  instruction  organized  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day 
Saints.  Its  membership  now  numbers 
917,715. 

It  has  missions,  stakes,  wards,  and 
branches  in  practically  every  city  of 
any  size  or  consequence  in  the  world. 
It  has  developed  from  a  local  organiza- 
tion to  one  of  international  proportions. 
Its  missionaries  have  carried  glad  tid- 
ings of  great  joy  to  the  races  of  men 
for  over  a  century.  Its  officers  and 
teachers  number  a  quarter  of  a  million, 
serving  willingly  without  thought  of, 
or  desire  for,  compensation.  A  great 
missionary  system  has  been  developed 
which  affords  the  opportunity  of  mis- 
sionary service  to  some  twenty-two 
hundred  young  men  and  women  each 
year.  A  religious  educational  proj- 
ect has  been  set  in  motion  which  in- 
volves one  university,  three  colleges, 
thirteen  institutes,  and  one  hundred 
and  eight  seminaries,  manned  by  three 
hundred  sixty  full-time  teachers,  and 
provides  religious  education  for  thirty- 
five  thousand  young  men  and  women. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Seven  temples  are  now  in  use  for  the 
performing  of  ordinances  for  the  dead 
and  the  living,  and  an  eighth  is  soon  to 
be  dedicated  and  opened.  A  Welfare 
plan  has  been  worked  out  designed  to 
assist  those  in  distress,  anticipating, 
however,  that  those  receiving  assist- 
ance shall  contribute  of  their  energy 
and  time  on  a  production  project.  This 
program  has  in  operation  agricultural, 
manufacturing,  and  processing  projects, 
to  provide  food,  fuel,  clothing,  and  shel- 
ter. A  wheat  storage  program  is  spon- 
sored by  the  General  Authorities  and 
the  Relief  Society  of  the  Church  where- 
in three  elevators  are  now  used  to  store 
approximately  four  hundred  thousand 
bushels  of  wheat  against  a  day  of  need. 
Hospitals,  a  boys'  home,  in  addition  to 
a  great  religious,  cultural,  and  recrea- 
tional program  sponsored  by  the  auxi- 


JOSEPH    L.  WIRTHLIN 

liary  organizations  of  the  Church,  are 
all  developments  that  have  taken  place 
in  the  last  one  hundred  thirteen  years. 
The  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter- 
day  Saints  is  an  organization  that  is  not 
in  financial  bondage  to  any  man  or  set 
of  creditors. 

Joseph  Smith  declared  to  the  world 
that  the  Father  and  the  Son  appeared 
to  him  in  answer  to  the  prayerful  in- 
quiry, which  of  all  these  religious  or- 
ganizations was  the  one  designated  as 
the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  was 
forbidden  to  join  any  of  them;  and  three 
years  later  a  divine  personage  calling 
himself  Moroni  appeared  to  him,  telling 
Joseph  that  the  Lord  had  assigned  to 
him  a  great  and  marvelous  work  and 
that  his  name  would  be  had  for  good 
and  evil  among  the  nations.  A  record 
of  the  ancient  inhabitants  who  formerly 
lived  upon  the  American  continent,  in- 
scribed on  plates  of  gold,  was  entrusted 
to  Joseph  Smith  for  translation  and  pub- 
lication to  the  world,  for  within  its 
covers  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  in  its 
pure  and  complete  form  would  be 
found. 

JULY,  1943 


John  the  Baptist,  the  forerunner  of 
the  Christ  nineteen  centuries  ago,  again 
appeared,  bestowing  upon  Joseph  Smith 
and  Oliver  Cowdery  the  Priesthood  of 
Aaron,  which  gave  to  these  men  the 
authority  to  preach  the  gospel  of  repent- 
ance and  to  administer  the  ordinances 
of  baptism  by  immersion  for  the  remit- 
tance of  sins.     Peter,  James,  and  John 
appeared    later   to    Joseph,    conferring 
upon  him  the  Melchizedek  Priesthood 
or  the  Priesthood  after  the  order  of  the 
Son  of  God,  authorizing  the  conferring 
of    spiritual    blessings    and    privileges 
upon  the  faithful.    Other  divine  person- 
ages appeared,  those  who  had  lived  in 
former  dispensations.    Moses  returned, 
bestowing  the  keys  of  the  gathering  of 
Israel  upon  Joseph;  Elias  gave  him  the 
dispensation  of  the  gospel  of  Abraham; 
Elijah  the  prophet  appeared,  bestow- 
ing  upon  Joseph  the   authority  to  in- 
augurate the  work  for  the  dead.    Joseph 
Smith  received  direct  revelations  from 
on  high,  instructing  and  directing  him 
in  the  restoration  of  the  gospel  in  its  ful- 
ness and  in  organizing  the  Church  ex- 
actly as  it  existed  in  the  days  of  the 
apostles,  with  Jesus  Christ  as  the  chief 
cornerstone,    with    apostles,    prophets, 
evangelists,     high     priests,     seventies, 
elders,   bishops,   priests,   teachers,   and 
deacons.     All   of   these   offices  in   the 
Priesthood  of  God  existed,  according  to 
biblical  authorities,  in  the  days  of  the 
apostles    and    were    restored    through 
Joseph   Smith,  which  effected  a   com- 
plete restitution  of  the  Church  organ- 
ization,   which    is    recognized    by    the 
world's    foremost    authorities    on    or- 
ganization as  being  the  most  perfect  of 
its  kind  on  earth  today. 

Who  was  Joseph  Smith?  Whence 
came  this  man?  He  was  the  son  of  a 
farmer,  born  in  the  backwoods  of  Ver- 
mont, with  no  opportunities  for  schol- 
astic attainments  or  personal  develop- 
ment from  an  academic  viewpoint,  per- 
secuted and  prosecuted  by  foes  and 
even  by  officials  of  the  law  who  should 
have  protected  him.  He  lacked  the 
riches  of  the  world,  without  friends  or 
prestige  of  those  in  high  places.  Will 
his  declarations  and  claims  stand  the 
X-ray  of  a  minute  analysis?  This  ana- 
lysis can  be  made  from  four  view- 
points: first,  comparison  of  Joseph 
Smith's  claims  and  achievements  with 
other  great  religious  leaders;  second,  the 
fulfilment  of  prophecy  and  revelation; 
third,  the  authenticity  of  the  Book  of 
Mormon;  and  fourth,  his  leaving  all  of 
his  works,  the  Book  of  Mormon,  Doc- 
trine and  Covenants.  Pearl  of  Great 
Price,  revised  Bible,  for  future  critical 
study,  and  in  this  he  stands  alone. 

First  permit  me  to  compare  him  with 
Martin  Luther,  a  great,  courageous  and 
sincere  man  who  was  born  under  very 
humble  circumstances — the  son  of  a 
miner — one  of  the  steppingstones  to  the 
restoration  of  the  gospel.  His  father 
and  mother  were  devout  and  religious 
people.  Martin  Luther's  mental  ability 
won  for  him  recognition  of  an  individu- 
al wealthy  enough  to  finance  his  schol- 
astic training.  He  soon  received  the 
(Continued  on  page  440) 


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JOSEPH  L  WIRTHLIN 

(Continued  from  page  439) 
degree  of  Master.  Influential  church 
authorities  became  interested  in  him  and 
the  office  of  priest  was  bestowed  upon 
him.  He  held  the  chair  of  philosophy 
in  the  University  of  Wittenberg.  Later 
he  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Theology.  Shortly  thereafter  he  be- 
came involved  in  a  bitter  controversy 
with  the  authorities  of  the  church  over 
the  proposed  sale  of  indulgences  and 
courageously  affixed  his  ninety-five 
theses  on  the  door  of  the  Cathedral 
known  as  Schlosskkche  (Castle 
Church) .  He  was  excommunicated,  his 
life  was  endangered,  but  there  came  to 
his  rescue  German  princes  and  noble- 
men. Hence  during  a  period  of  forced 
exile,  he  translated  the  Bible  into  the 
German  language,  declaring  the  Scrip- 
tures should  be  free  and  open  to  all 
men.  He  demanded  general  reforma- 
tions of  the  dominant  church,  stating, 
"I  am  deeply  interested  in  so  purifying 
every  church  that  all  men  may  worship 
God  as  they  see  fit.  As  to  organizing 
a  new  church,  I  have  neither  the  desire 
nor  the  authority  to  do  so."1  But  never- 
theless there  came  into  being  a  church 
bearing  his  name  and  in  whose  declara- 
tions of  faith  are  found  many  of  the 
doctrines  of  the  church  he  bitterly  op- 
posed. His  greatest  contribution  to  his 
people  and  to  the  world  was  the  doc- 
trine of  religious  freedom  and  the  trans- 
lation of  the  Scriptures  into  the  tongue 
of  his  people.  It  is  interesting  to  ob- 
serve that  although  he  read,  studied, 
and  translated  the  Bible  word  by  word 
from  cover  to  cover,  he  failed  to  see, 
understand,  or  advocate  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ  as  it  is  therein  recorded. 
In  the  process  of  his  translations  I  have 
often  wondered  what  his  reaction  was 
concerning  such  scripture  as  the  fol- 
lowing: Malachi,  chapter  4,  verses  5 
and  6: 

Behold,  I  will  send  you  Elijah  the  prophet 
before  the  coming  of  the  great  and  dreadful 
day  of  the  Lord:  And  he  shall  turn  the 
heart  of  the  fathers  to  the  children,  and  the 
heart  of  the  children  to  their  fathers,  lest 
I  come  and  smite  the  earth  with  a  curse. 

Joseph  Smith,  unlearned  of  men, 
chosen  by  God,  had  the  interpretation, 
for  Elijah  appeared  to  him  and  gave  him 
the  keys  that  had  turned  the  heart  of 
the  children  to  their  fathers,  inaugu- 
rating the  gospel  of  salvation  for  the 
dead. 

I  wonder  what  the  thoughts  of  Mar- 
tin Luther  were  as  he  paused  over  the 
statement  of  Ezekiel,  chapter  37,  verses 
16  and  17: 

Moreover,  thou  son  of  man,  take  thee  one 
stick,  and  write  upon  it,  For  Judah,  and  for 
the  children  of  Israel  his  companions:  then 
take  another  stick,  and  write  upon  it,  For 
Joseph,  the  stick  of  Ephraim,  and  for  all 
the  house  of  Israel  his  companions:  And 
join  them  one  to  another  into  one  stick;  and 
they  shall  become  one  in  thine  hand. 

Again  the  meek  of  the  earth  re- 
ceived the  interpretation  of  this  scrip- 

iAdam  S.  Bennion,  What  It  Means  to  Be  A  Mormon 


440 


ture  when  Moroni  appeared  to  the  boy 
Joseph  Smith  and  four  years  later  en- 
trusted to  his  care  a  record  inscribed 
upon  the  plates  of  gold,  giving  the  rec- 
ord of  Joseph  and  Ephraim  and  all  the 
house  of  Israel,  combining  the  stick  of 
Judah,  or  the  Bible,  and  the  stick  of 
Joseph,  or  the  Book  of  Mormon,  as  one 
witness  for  the  Lord  and  His  Son  Jesus 
Christ. 

I  wonder  what  the  emotions  of  Mar- 
tin Luther  were  as  he  read  that  scrip- 
ture of  Amos  which  indicated  that  a 
great  apostasy  was  to  take  place  as 
predicted  in  the  book  of  Amos,  chapter 
8,  verse  11: 

Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord 
God,  that  I  will  send  a  famine  in  the  land, 
not  a  famine  of  bread,  nor  a  thirst  for  water, 
but  of  hearing  the  words  of  the  Lord:  .  .  . 

And  again  there  is  a  prediction  in 
the  first  chapter  of  Paul's  epistle  to  the 
Galatians,  verse  6: 

I  marvel  that  ye  are  so  soon  removed 
from  him  that  called  you  into  the  grace  of 
Christ  unto  another  gospel. 

The  answer  was  given  to  the  four- 
teen-year-old boy  in  the  woods  of  west- 
ern New  York  when  the  Lord  declared, 
"They  draw  near  to  me  with  their  lips, 
but  their  hearts  are  far  from  me;  they 
teach  for  doctrines  the  commandments 
of  men,  having  a  form  of  godliness,  but 
they  deny  the  power  thereof."  (See 
Isaiah  29:13,  and  Matthew  15:8.) 

Martin  Luther  no  doubt  carefully 
perused  the  scriptures  which  had  to  do 
with  the  restitution  of  all  things  as  re- 
corded in  chapter  3,  verses  19  to  21,  of 
the  book  of  Acts: 

Repent  ye  therefore,  and  be  converted, 
that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out,  when  the 
times  of  refreshing  shall  come  from  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Lord;  And  he  shall  send  Jesus 
Christ,  which  before  -Was  preached  unto 
you:  Whom  the  heaven  must  receive  until 
the  times  of  restitution  of  all  things,  which 
God  hath  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  all  his 
holy  prophets  since  the  world  began. 

In  Revelation,  chapter  14,  verse  6,  we 
read: 

And  I  saw  another  angel  fly  in  the  midst 
of  heaven,  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to 
preach  unto  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth, 
and  to  every  nation,  and  kindred,  and 
tongue,  and  people. 

And  again  the  humble  prophet  of  the 
Lord  received  the  actual  interpretation 
in  the  reality  of  the  visits  of  Moroni  and 
other  divine  personages  whereby  the 
everlasting  gospel  was  restored  for  the 
benefit  of  all  nations,  kindreds,  tongues 
and  peoples. 

Martin  Luther  declared,  "As  to  or- 
ganizing a  new  church,  I  have  neither 
the  desire  nor  the  authority  to  do  so." 
Joseph  Smith  had  no  personal  desire, 
but  under  mandate  of  God  proceeded  to 
organize  the  Church  of  Christ.  Martin 
Luther  recognized  the  fact  that  he  did 
not  possess  the  authority  to  do  so. 
Through  the  restoration  of  the  Priest- 
hood, Joseph  Smith  had  the  authority 
from  on  high  to  inaugurate  again  among 
the  children  of  men  the  plan  of  salva- 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


tion  as  given  to  the  world  by  the  Savior, 
and  again  to  authorize  men  to  act  as 
His  servants  to  bestow  upon  the  Lord's 
children  all  of  the  blessings  involved  in 
the  ordinances  of  the  gospel  plan  as 
was  done  in  former  dispensations. 
Luther's  translation  of  the  Bible  sus- 
tains wholly  the  doctrines  and  ordi- 
nances of  the  gospel  as  restored  to  the 
earth  by  the  Lord  through  Joseph 
Smith. 

HpHE  second  viewpoint  is  the  test  of 
A  prophecy  and  revelation.  Time  but 
permits  pointing  out  to  you  a  few  of 
the  many  prophecies  made  by  the 
Prophet  Joseph.  I  draw  your  attention 
to  section  87  of  the  Doctrine  and  Cove- 
nants, verses  2  and  3,  a  revelation  given 
to  the  Prophet  December  25,  1832, 
wherein  the  Lord  revealed  to  His  serv- 
ant: 

The  time  will  come  that  war  will  be 
poured  out  upon  all  nations,  beginning  at 
this  place.  For  behold,  the  Southern  States 
shall  be  divided  against  the  Northern  States, 
and  the  Southern  States  will  call  on  other 
nations,  even  the  nation  of  Great  Britain,  as 
it  is  called,  and  they  shall  also  call  upon 
other  nations,  in  order  to  defend  themselves 
against  other  nations;  and  then  war  shall 
be  poured  out  upon  all  nations. 

Is  it  not  singular  that  this  man,  with 
few  opportunities  in  life  from  a  scholas- 
tic and  statesman's  point  of  view, 
would  declare  twelve  years  before  his 
death  that  such  an  event  would  take 
place,  which  event  actually  occurred 
twenty-nine  years  after  the  prophecy 
was  given  to  the  world,  when  the  Con- 
federacy fired  upon  Fort  Sumter  and 
Great  Britain  became  involved?  Thus 
prophecy  was  fulfilled,  which  state- 
ment is  borne  out  by  the  facts  of  history. 
There  is  only  one  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion, whence  came  this  advance  in- 
formation to  Joseph  Smith?  It  came  to 
him  from  the  Lord,  as  a  revelation. 

Section  97,  verses  22  and  23,  affords 
provocative  thinking: 

For  behold,  and  lo,  vengeance  cometh 
speedily  upon  the  ungodly  as  the  whirlwind; 
and  wh«  shall  escape  it?  The  Lord's  scourge 
shall  pass  over  by  night  and  by  day,  and 
the  report  thereof  shall  vex  all  people;  yea, 
it  shall  not  be  stayed  until  the  Lord  come. 

The  question  arises,  what  is  meant  by 
the  Lord's  scourge,  a  "scourge  to  pass 
over  by  night  and  by  day,  and  the  re- 
port thereof  shall  vex  all  people"?  As 
we  observe  the  events  that  are  occur- 
ring in  the  greatest  war  of  all  time,  the 
scourge  spoken  of  by  the  Lord  might 
well  be  squadrons  of  flying  fortresses 
raining  death  and  destruction  upon  peo- 
ples, cities,  armies,  battleship  fleets,  the 
merchant  marine — by  day  and  by  night. 
Think,  if  you  will,  of  London,  Coven- 
try, Rotterdam,  Stalingrad,  and  now 
Berlin.  Surely  the  inhabitants  of  war- 
ring nations  are  sorely  vexed  by  the 
passing  of  this  scourge  over  them  by 
day  and  by  night.  Again  I  submit  the 
question,  from  whence  did  Joseph 
Smith  receive  the  information  that  such 
an  event  would  take  place?  There  is  but 
one  answer — his  own — a  revelation 
from  the  Lord. 

JULY,  1943 


Consider  section  61,  verses  14,  15  and 
16: 

Behold,  I,  the  Lord,  in  the  beginning 
blessed  the  waters;  but  in  the  last  days,  by 
the  mouth  of  my  servant  John,  I  cursed  the 
waters.  Wherefore,  the  days  will  come  that 
no  flesh  shall  be  safe  upon  the  waters. 
And  it  shall  be  said  in  days  to  come  that 
none  is  able  to  go  up  to  the  land  of  Zion 
upon  the  waters,  but  he  that  is  upright  in 
heart. 

An  examination  of  daily  events  upon 
the  oceans  of  the  earth  might  well 
indicate  that  the  days  are  here  when 
no  flesh  shall  be  safe  upon  the 
waters.  Hundreds  of  thousands  of 
tons  of  shipping  have  been  sent  to  the 
bottom  of  the  sea,  involving  the  loss 
of  thousands  of  lives.  Again  the  ques- 
tion comes  to  our  minds,  how  was  it 


possible  for  Joseph  Smith  in  1831  to 
forecast  a  situation  in  the  future 
wherein  the  waters  of  the  earth  would 
be  unsafe  for  man?  His  answer  is  the 
only  one — a  revelation  from  God,  given 
to  His  servant. 

Joseph  Smith  was  among  the  first 
American  religionists  to  declare  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States  came 
into  being  because  God  suffered  its  es- 
tablishment. Read  the  words  of  the 
Lord  to  the  Prophet  Joseph  found  in 
section  101,  verse  77: 

According  to  the  laws  and  constitution  of 
the  people,  which  I  have  suffered  to  be  es- 
tablished, and  should  be  maintained  for  the 
rights  and  protection  of  all  flesh,  accord- 
ing to  just  and  holy  principles; 

( Continued  on  page  443 ) 


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Scriptural  Crossword  Puzzle— The  Lord's  Prayer 

"But  thou,  when  thou  prayest,  enter  into  thy  closet,  and  when  thou  hast  shut  thy  door, 
pray  to  thy  Father  which  is  in  secret;  and  thy  Father  which  seeth  in  secret  shall  reward 
thee  openly." — Matthew  6:6. 


HORIZONTAL 


I 


"...  when  ye  pray,  use  not  vain  repetitions"  Matt 

6.7 
4  "and  the  ...  ,  and  the  glory,  for  ever"  Matt.  6:13 
9  Scold 

11  "what  .  .  .  right  hand  doeth"  Matt.  6:3 

12  "For  thine  Is  the  .  .  ."    Matt.  6:13 

14  "If  I  should  .  .  .  with  thee,  I  will  not  deny  thee" 
Mark   14:31 

16  South  Dakota 

17  Man's  name 

19  Hawaiian  lava 

20  "I  am  ...  in  my  Father's  name"    John  5:43 

22  Dove's  call 

23  City  of  Benjamin    I  Chron.  ft:  12 

24  "With  a  great  .  .  .  obtained  I  this  freedom"    Acta 
22:28 

25  Doctor 

26  "pray  to  .  .  .  Father  which    is  in   secret"    Matt. 
6:6 

28  'jhe  that  doeth  the  .  .  .  of  my  Father"    Matt.  7:21 

29  "That  thine  alms  may  ...  in  secret"    Matt.  6:4 

30  Exclamation  of  surprise 

31  Yard 

32  Daughter   of   Zachariah    and    mother    of    Hezekiah 
II    Kings    18:2 


as   in  heaven,  so  In 


heaven"    Matt.  6:1 


Matt.  6:2 

.  is  his  footstool"    Matt. 


secret 


34  and  38  "Thy  will   be   .   . 

.  .  ."    Luke  11:2 
36  "of  your  Father  which  is 
38  See  34  across 
40  Unit  of  work 
42  Last  word  of  prayer 

44  ".  .  .  the  hypocrites  do' 

45  "nor  by  the  earth;  for  . 
5:35 

46  and  47  "unto  thy  Father  which 
Matt.  6:18 

49  "given  to  hospitality,  ...  to  teach"    I  Tim.  3:2 

50  Chapter  in  Matt,  beginning  "And  he  entered  into 
a  ship" 

51  "After  this  manner  therefore  .  .  .  ye"    Matt.  6:9 

53  "but  deliver  .  .   .  from  evil"    Matt.  6:13 

54  "which  art  in  ...  "    Matt.  6:9 

57  "Many  will  say  to  ...  in  that  day"    Matt.  7:22 

58  "And   ...  us  not  into  temptation"    Matt.  6:13 

59  "as  we  .  .  .  our  debtors"    Matt.  6:12 

Our  text  is  11.  12,  20,  26.  28,  29,  34,  36,  38,  44,  45. 
46,  47,  and  54  combined 


VERTICAL 


Matt.  6:5 


Matt.  10:42 
Matt.  13:39 


2  Rodent  of  West  Indies 

3  "standing  in  .  .  .  synagogues* 

5  Correct 

6  "he  shall  in  no  .  .  .  lose  his  reward" 

7  "the  harvest  is  the  ...  of  the  world" 

8  Right  Guard 

9  Back,    a  combining  form 
10  Amount 

13  Destiny 

14  "Give  us  .  .  .  by  .  .  .  our  daily  bread"    Luke  11:3 

15  "This  is  my  beloved  ..."    Matt.  3:17 
18  ".  .  .  Father"     Matt.  6:9 

20  Coquettish 

21  Cut 

22  Ancient  Scotch  or  Irish  monks 

24  Cunning 

25  "And  forgive  us  our  .  .  .s"    Matt.  6:12 

26  Though 

27  "Whatsoever  things  are  .  .  ."    Phil.  4:8 
29  "shut  the  doors,  and  .  .  .  them"  Neh.  7:3 


number  of  them  is  to  be  re- 


442 


30  "wherewith  the  , 

deemed"     Num.   3:48 
33  Jesus  the  Savior  of  Men   (Latin  initials) 
35  Eldest  son  of  Judah    Gen.  38:3 
37  North    America 
39  "it  hath  been  said,  .  .  .  eye  for  .  .  .  eye"    Matt. 

5:38 
41   ".  .  .  us  this  day"    Matt.  6:11 

43  One  who   makes  friends  easily 

44  An  arched  roof 

47  A  Benjamite    I  Chron.  7:12 

48  "Hallowed  be  thy  .  .  ."    Matt.  6:9 

49  "shall    bore   his  ear   through   with   an   .   .    ."    Ex 
21:6 

50  Three  fifths  ivory 

52  "your  Father  knoweth  what  things  .  .  .  have  need 
of"     Matt.   6:8 

54  ...  kf  is  handkerchief 

55  Africa 

56  No  good 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


JOSEPH  L  WIRTHUN 

(Continued  from  page  441 ) 

May  I  be  permitted  to  digress  long 
enough  to  say  that  any  member  of  this 
Church  or  any  citizen  of  this  great 
republic  that  advocates  the  idea  that 
the  Constitution  of  the  United  States 
should  be  relegated  to  the  past  is  on 
dangerous  ground,  for  such  a  proposi- 
tion destroys  one  of  the  fundamentals 
upon  which  true  religion  and  democra- 
tic government  are  founded,  namely  the 
principle  of  free  agency.  Free  agency, 
so  far  as  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  is 
concerned,  is  the  foundation  upon 
which  the  whole  gospel  plan  was  form- 
ulated in  the  pre-existent  world. 

The  Word  of  Wisdom  also  stands 
as  an  example  of  prophecy  and  revela- 
tion, God's  law  of  health,  sustained  by 
modern-day  science,  which  in  the  davs 
of  the  Prophet  had  done  but  little  work 
from  a  scientific  point  of  view  as  to 
what  was  good  and  not  good  for  man 
physically. 

From  the  point  of  view  of  prophecy, 
compare  Joseph  Smith's  declarations 
with  the  statement  of  Mosiah  found  in 
chapter  8,  verse  17  and  18: 

But  a  seer  can  know  of  things  which  are 
past,  and  also  things  which  are  to  come, 
and  by  them  shall  all  things  be  revealed,  or, 
rather,  shall  secret  things  be  made  manifest, 
and  hidden  things  shall  come  to  light,  and 
things  which  are  not  known  shall  be  made 
known  by  them,  and  also  things  shall  be 
made  known  by  them  which  otherwise  could 
not  be  known.  Thus  God  has  provided  a 
means  that  man,  through  faith,  might  work 
mighty  miracles;  therefore  he  becometh  a 
great  benefit  to  his  fellow  beings. 

Have  men  ever  stopped  to  consider 
that  of  all  the  great  ecclesiastics  since 
the  days  of  Christ  and  His  apostles, 
there  has  been  but  one  who  has  used  the 
term,  "Thus  saith  the  Lord"?  Joseph 
Smith,  speaking  directly  for  the  Lord, 
was  the  first  one  that  had  this  right.  He 
spoke  for  the  Lord  as  did  Moses,  Jere- 
miah, and  Ezekiel. 

Third,  the  authenticity  of  the  Book  of 
Mormon  should  be  given  consideration. 
Historians,  men  of  science,  and  doctors 
of  religion  over  a  period  of  one  hundred 
thirteen  years  have  made  a  most  critical 
analysis  of  the  Book  of  Mormon,  fail- 
ing to  find  inconsistencies  or  contradic- 
tions in  the  doctrines  of  Jesus  Christ,  in 
history  or  geography.  In  fact,  research 
work  in  Central  and  South  America  ac- 
cumulated since  the  martyrdom  of  the 
Prophet  sustains  the  Book  of  Mormon 
as  to  its  origin.  More  than  that,  men 
can  know  for  themselves  through  study 
and  humble  supplication  before  the 
Lord,  that  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  in- 
deed of  the  Lord.  Moroni,  the  last 
writer  in  the  Book  of  Mormon,  leaves 
with  the  reader  this  promise: 

And  when  ye  shall  receive  these  things,  I 
would  exhort  you  that  ye  would  ask  God, 
the  Eternal  Father,  in  the  name  of  Christ, 
if  these  things  are  not  true;  and  if  ye  shall 
ask  with  a  sincere  heart,  with  real  intent, 
having  faith  in  Christ,  he  will  manifest  the 
truth  of  it  unto  you,  by  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  (Moroni  10:4) 

JULY,  1943 


The  fourth  viewpoint — Joseph  Smith 
left  all  his  works,  the  Book  of  Mormon, 
Doctrine  and  Covenants,  Pearl  of  Great 
Price,  revised  Bible,  for  future  critical 
study.  He  stands  alone  in  this.  Joseph 
Smith,  unlearned  in  the  ways  of  men, 
neither  disillusioned  nor  spoiled  by  the 
theories  or  science  of  men,  was  selected 
and  foreordained  before  the  creation  of 
the  world  to  bring  forth  the  gospel  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  for  the  second 
time,  hence  his  works  will  stand  forever 
and  ever.  This  is  the  only  answer  to  Jo- 
seph Smith  and  his  work.  Possessed 
neither  of  friends  nor  wealth,  without 
the  protection  of  kings  and  noblemen, 
with  no  opportunities  of  worldly  train- 
ing, yet  regarding  him  and  others,  one 
noted  American,  Fred  W.  Shibley,  de- 
clared, "What  the  country  and  the 
world  needs  today  is  a  resurgence 
of  the  philosophy  taught  by  Con- 
fucius, Jesus,  and  Joseph  Smith. 
Otherwise  we  will  have  an  appallinq 
period  of  human  decadence."  Josiah 
Quincy  declared,  "It  is  by  no  means 
improbable  that  some  future  textbook 
for  the  use  of  generations  yet  unborn 
will  contain  a  question  like  this:  'What 
historical  American  of  the  19th  century 
has  exerted  the  most  powerful  influence 
upon  the  destinies  of  his  countrymen?' 
and  the  answer  may  be  'JosePn  Smith, 
the  Mormon  prophet.'  " 

It  is  intensely  interesting  that  Fred 
Shibley  and  Josiah  Quincy,  men  not 
of  Joseph  Smith's  faith,  would  classify 
him  with  the  greatest  of  teachers,  Jesus 
Christ  and  Confucius,  and  give  him  a 
place  among  the  world's  and  America's 
greatest.  As  Moroni  declared  to  Joseph 
Smith,  his  name  would  be  had  for  good 
and  evil  among  the  nations.  Today  it 
is  had  for  more  good  than  evil. 

A  few  years  ago  I  stood  in  old 
Carthage  Jail,  and  walking  up  the  stairs 
to  the  room  occupied  by  Joseph  and  his 
friends  and  standing  there  in  medita- 
tion, the  thought  came  to  me,  suppose 
Joseph,  in  the  last  moments  of  anguish, 
facing  certain  death,  had  confronted  the 
blood-thirst^  Carthage  Grays  with  this 
statement:  "I  am  an  im poster.  I  did  not 
see  the  Father  and  the  Son.  The  Book 
of  Mormon  is  of  my  own  creation."  The 
Carthage  Grays  would  have  responded 
with  one  voice,  "Joseph,  return  to  Nau- 
voo.  We  promise  to  permit  you  to  live 
in  peace." 

Joseph  Smith  could  not  make  any 
such  statement  for,  said  he,  "I  saw  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  and  I  knew  that 
God  knew  it,  and  I  could  not  deny  it, 
neither  dared  I  do  it;  at  least  I  knew  that 
by  so  doing  I  would  offend  God  and 
come  under  condemnation,"  and  rather 
than  deny  his  testimony  to  the  world, 
he  sealed  it  with  his  blood,  which  is  in 
accordance  With  the  scripture  found  in 
Hebrews,  chapter  9,  verse  16,  "For 
where  a  testament  is,  there  must  also  of 
necessity  be  the  death  of  the  testator." 

With  the  death  of  Joseph  Smith,  what 
happened  to  the  mantle  of  authority  and 
the  keys  that  he  held?  They  were  in 
the  possession  of  the  Council  of  the 
Twelve  because  the  revelation  of  the 
( Concluded  on  page  444 ) 


WHENEVER 

the  Occasion 

calls  for 

Something 

GIVE 


DELICIOUS 

PINK  and  COLD 

CHOCOLATES 


"If  It's 
Glade's  It's  Good' 


Please  Make 

Reservations 

In  Advance 


WE  DON'T  LIKE  to  disap- 
point you  -when  you  visit 
Salt  Lake.  Tremendous  war- 
time traffic  in  this  area 
means  that  we  are  operating 
to  capacity.  So  next  time 
you  wish  accommodations 
at  Salt  Lake's  newest  hotel, 
won't  you  please  write  us 
well  in  advance  oi  your 
trip?  Your  trip  will  be  more 
enjoyable  when  you  know 
you  have  definite  reserva- 
tions at  the 


Hotel 

Temple  Square 

Salt  Lake  City 


CLARENCE  L.  WEST 
Manager 


n 


443 


Another 
WAR  FRONT? 

THIS  MIGHT  BE  a  scene  in  Casa 
Blanca,  Tunisia  or  Melbourne  — 
but  actually  it  is  a  familiar  scene  in 
the  lobby  of  the  Hotel  Utah. 

For  we  are  privileged  to  be  of 
service  to  members  of  the  armed 
services  who  make  the  Hotel  Utah 
their  headquarters  while  in  Salt 
Lake. 

And  because  our  country  comes 
first,  because  our  first  thought 
must  be  to  hasten  Victory,  you  can 
understand  why  we  are  no  longer 
able  to  accommodate  everyone  as 
we  would  like  to  do,  and  have  done 
in  the  past. 

Please  make  reservations  well 
in  advance  of  your  visit,  so  that 
we  may  have  the  pleasure  of  serv- 
ing you,  too! 


JOSEPH  L  WIRTHLIN 

(Concluded  from  page  443) 

Lord  to  the  Prophet  indicates  the 
Twelve  are  equal  in  authority  to  the 
First  Presidency  (D.  &  C.  107:23,  24). 
The  Council  of  the  Twelve  selected 
Brigham  Young,  through  revelation  and 
inspiration.  From  the  martyrdom  of  the 
Prophet  Joseph  until  the  present  day,  all 
of  his  successors  have  been  so  selected 
until  today  the  same  mantle  of  authority 
rests  upon  the  shoulders  of  President 
Heber  J.  Grant  and  the  same  keys  are 
vested  in  him  for  the  furtherance  of  the 
work  of  the  Lord. 

There  is  but  one  answer  to  Joseph 
Smith,  and  the  answer  is  found  in  his 
story,  his  life,  and  his  achievements.  It 
is  also  found  in  the  lives  of  those  who 
have  accepted  the  gospel  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  and  have  been  blessed  with 
a  testimony  of  its  divine  origin.  Joseph 
Smith  should  not  be  a  man  of  mystery 
to  the  world,  but  a  true  servant  of  God, 
for  as  the  Savior  declared,  ". . .  By  their 
fruits  ye  shall  know  them"  (Matt.  7:3) . 

I  am  grateful  for  the  witness  with 
which  the  Lord  has  blessed  me,  con- 
vincing me  beyond  all  doubt  that  Joseph 
Smith  was  an  apostle  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  a  prophet,  seer  and  revelator, 
and  through  him  God's  greatest  gift  to 
man  has  been  made  available  to  all  who 
accept  His  teachings.  This  gift  is  known 
as  the  gift  of  salvation,  and  there  is  no 
greater  gift. 

Joseph  Smith,  a  humble,  unknown 
farm  boy,  as  Peter  was  the  lowly  fisher- 
man— and  yet  in  the  hands  of  God  he 
became  the  mightiest  and  the  greatest 
in  this,  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of 
times,  for  he  definitely  reaffirmed  the 
actual  existence  of  the  Father  and  His 
beloved  Son  Jesus  Christ.  Yes,  "the 
weak  things  of  the  world  shall  come 
forth  and  break  down  the  mighty  and 
strong  ones."  May  our  obedience  to 
and  compliance  with  the  gospel  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  restored  through 
His  instrument,  Joseph  Smith,  increase 
our  testimonies  of  Joseph  Smith's  divine 
calling,  I  humbly  ask,  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 


HAROLD  B.  LEE 

(Continued  from  page  397) 

The  voice  of  the  Lord  was  again 
heard  in  1936,  when  again  we  were  told 
by  our  leaders  that  there  should  be  a 
production  of  all  the  things  needed  by 
those  who  would  otherwise  be  unable 
to  provide  for  themselves.  For  seven 
years  the  Church  has  been  schooled  in 
the  methods  of  production  and  distribu- 
tion. Storehouses  have  been  estab- 
lished— eighty-six  of  them  today — grain 
elevators  have  been  erected,  and  yet  in 
the  face  of  all  that  anxious,  feverish 
activity  that  has  been  directed  by  the 
Presidency  of  this  Church,  there  have 
been  contrary  voices,  there  have  been 
contrary  philosophies  of  spending  our- 
selves into  prosperity;  we  have  had  a 
subversive  economic  program;  we  have 


444 


had  subsidies  and  controls  of  every  kind 
that  seemed  to  work  at  cross-purposes 
with  that  which  the  prophets  of  the 
Lord  were  guiding  us  to  do. 

The  spirit  of  all  this  Welfare  activity 
throughout  the  Church  and  the  mean- 
ing of  all  this  preparation  seemed  to 
have  found  expression  in  a  dedicatory 
prayer  offered  by  one  of  the  Presidency 
of  the  Church  in  August  of  1940  when 
the  elevator  down  on  Welfare  Square 
was  dedicated.  Here  was  a  statement 
from  that  beautiful  and  inspired  dedica- 
tory prayer: 

May  this  be  an  edifice  of  service,  a  con- 
tribution of  love,  and  as  such  we  dedicate 
it  to  thee  and  ask  thy  blessings  to  attend 
all  who  may  have  contributed  to  its  erection, 
and  all  who  may  contribute  to  the  keeping 
of  these  bins  filled  with  the  wheat  which  is 
considered  necessary  to  be  preserved  pre~ 
paratory  foe  the  judgments  that  await  the 
nations  of  the  earth.  (David  O.  McKay, 
August,  1940) 

Then  came  1937.  The  voice  of  the 
Lord  again  spoke  through  His  mouth- 
piece from  this  place  to  Israel.  Indi- 
viduals were  told  to  go  beyond  Wel- 
fare production,  putting  storage  in  their 
own  places  sufficient  for  a  needed  sup- 
ply. Oh,  there  were  some  who  sat 
back  in  that  day,  just  like  the  scorners 
who  sat  in  the  house  of  Lehi's  dreams, 
and  pointed  fingers  of  scorn  at  the  Lat- 
ter-day Saints  who  heeded  that  call, 
and  came  to  a  point  after  the  declara- 
tion of  war  when  all  such  were  dubbed 
as  hoarders,  and  were  accused  of  being 
unpatriotic  to  the  great  urge  that  was 
being  made  of  this  great  American  na- 
tion. But  shortly  after  that  finger  of 
scorn  was  pointed  and  those  epithets 
were  thus  hurled,  we  had  a  letter  from 
a  state  consumer  officer  in  connection 
with  the  O.P.A.  office  who  asked  the 
Church  to  stimulate  its  membership  to 
produce  and  to  store,  to  do  the  very 
thing  that  for  five  and  six  years  the 
Church  had  actually  been  doing  under 
the  direction  and  by  the  counsel  of  the 
leadership  of  this  Church. 

Again  there  came  counsel  in  1942;  a 
change  was  made. 

We  renew  our  counsel,  said  the  leaders 
of  the  Church,  and  repeat  our  instructions: 
Let  every  Latter-day  Saint  that  has  land, 
produce  some  valuable  essential  foodstuff 
thereon  and  then  preserve  it;  or  if  he  can- 
not produce  an  essential  foodstuff,  let  him 
produce  some  other  kind  and  exchange  it 
for  an  essential  foodstuff;  let  them  who  have 
no  land  of  their  own,  and  who  have  knowl- 
edge of  farming  and  gardening,  try  to  rent 
some,  either  by  themselves  or  with  others, 
and  produce  foodstuff  thereon,  and  preserve 
it.  Let  those  who  have  land  produce  enough 
extra  to  help  their  less  fortunate  brethren. 
(Message  of  the  First  Presidency,  April, 
1942.) 

It  was  as  though  they  knew  fully  a 
year  before  the  present  rationing  pro- 
gram was  inaugurated  that  there  had  to 
be  a  change  from  the  previous  activity 
if  we  would  be  sustained  in  this  time. 
Let  me  ask  you  leaders  who  are  here 
today:  In  1937  did  you  store  in  your 
own  basements  and  in  your  own  private 
storehouses  and  granaries  sufficient  for 
a  year's  supply?  You  city  dwellers,  did 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


you  in  1942  heed  what  was  said  from 
this  stand?  Did  you  go  out  and  pro- 
cure that  land  a  year  ago  in  preparation 
for  that  which  came  last  fall  in  the  way 
of  a  rationing  program?  If  you  didn't, 
you  find  yourselves  now  rather  anxious 
about  the  present  situation,  because 
land  this  year  is  much  more  difficult 
and  much  more  costly  to  obtain. 

I  remember  something  else  that  was 
said.  It  was  declared  also  from  this 
pulpit  that  the  interpretation  of  the  vi- 
sion of  Pharaoh  by  the  boy  Joseph  when 
he  saw  the  seven  lean  and  the  seven 
fat  kine — or  the  reverse,  the  seven  fat 
and  the  seven  lean  kine — coming  up 
out  of  the  water  was  not  without  paral- 
lel in  our  own  day.  Of  this  parallel  our 
leaders  reminded  us  in  these  words: 
"We  have  had  seven  fat  years,"  (and 
this  marks  the  end  of  the  seventh  year 
since  the  inauguration  of  the  Welfare 
plan).  "We  are  warned  that  scanty 
days  lie  ahead."  As  I  have  thought  of 
that  statement  of  the  brethren,  I  have 
wondered  if  we  may  see  a  shadow  also 
in  the  fact  that  the  eleven  brothers  who 
were  unguided  by  the  spirit  of  the  Lord 
were  forced  to  come  to  the  one  pro- 
vident brother  who  listened  to  the  word 
of  God.  I  wonder  if  we  are  likewise 
to  see  that  parallel  in  Israel  today. 

Yes,  there  were  some  other  things. 
May  I  just  speak  of  one  more?  On 
January  17,  1942,  a  letter  was  sent  out 
to  all  the  Church  urging  and  instructing 
that  they  discontinue  stake  meetings;  to 
restrict  the  travel  by  stake  board  mem- 
bers, to  cut  down  on  other  activities 
where  otherwise  they  would  not  be  able 
to  conserve.  And  when  you  remem- 
ber that  all  this  happened  from  eight 
months  to  nearly  a  year  before  the  tire 
and  gas  rationing  took  place,  you  may 
well  understand  if  you  will  only  take 
thought  that  here  again  was  the  voice 
of  the  Lord  to  this  people,  trying  to 
prepare  them  for  the  conservation  pro- 
gram that  within  a  year  was  forced 
upon  them.  No  one  at  that  time  could 
surely  foresee  that  the  countries  that 
had  been  producing  certain  essential 
commodities  were  to  be  overrun  and  we 
thereby  be  forced  into  a  shortage. 

Yes,  you  remember  when  the  mis- 
sionaries were  taken  out  of  Europe  a 
few  years  ago,  there  were  many  who 
sat  in  the  scorners'  seats  who  said: 
"Why,  that  is  silly.  During  the  last 
World  War  we  did  not  have  all  the 
missionaries  taken  out."  But  those  who 
thus  spoke  forgot  that  Brigham  Young 
had  voiced  the  word  of  the  Lord  some 
years  ago  when  he  said: 

Do  you  think  there  is  calamity  abroad 
now  among  the  people?  .  .  .  All  we  have  yet 
heard,  and  all  we  have  experienced  is 
scarcely  a  preface  to  the  sermon  that  is 
going  to  be  preached. 

Now,  mark  you  this: 

When  the  testimony  of  the  Elders  ceases 
to  be  given  and  the  Lord  says  to  them, 
"Come  home;  I  will  now  preach  my  own 
sermons  to  the  nations  of  the  earth,"  all 
you  now  know  can  scarcely  be  called 
a  preface  to  the  sermon  that  will  be  preached 
with  fire  and  sword,  tempests,  earthquake, 

JULY,  1943 


hail,  rain,  thunders  and  lightnings,  and  fear- 
ful destruction. 

And  it  is  a  matter  of  record  that  hard- 
ly had  the  last  missionary  been  called 
home  until  all  hell  seemed  to  break 
loose  in  Europe,  in  veritable  fulfilment 
of  the  prophecy  that  had  been  given. 
When  likewise  the  missionaries  were 
called  from  the  island  missions  of  the 
sea,  we  heard  the  same  clamor,  criticis- 
ing these  brethren  because  they  were 
doing  things  that  seemed  to  some  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  to  be  not  necessary, 
and  yet  we  see  the  great  wisdom  dis- 
played in  what  already  has  been  done. 

I  think  we  could  learn  a  lesson  from 
the  story  that  we  read  in  the  book  of 
Exodus  (17:6-13),  in  the  life  of  Moses 
the  prophet.  You  will  recall  that  Ama- 
lek  had  come  upon  Israel,  and  Joshua 
was  commanded  by  Moses  to  go  out 
with  his  army.  He  said  to  Joshua,  "I 
will  stand  upon  the  mount  with  the  rod 
of  the  Lord  in  my  hand,  and  you  go 
fight  the  battles  of  Israel."  And  as  long 
as  he  stood  with  his  hands  upraised, 
Israel  prevailed  against  the  enemy,  but 
his  hands  became  heavy  and  he  could 
not  hold  them  up,  and  when  he  would 
drop  his  hands,  the  enemy  prevailed 
over  Israel.  And  so  they  set  him  upon 
a  rock  upon  the  Mount,  and  Aaron  and 
Hur  stood  holding  his  hands  upraised, 
that  Israel  would  prevail  in  that  ter- 
rible day. 

That  also  is  not  without  its  shadow 
today  and  its  lesson  to  Israel.  Here 
sits  today  on  this  stand  the  man  as 
President  of  this  Church  who  holds 
in  his  hand  the  rod  of  the  Lord; 
he  is  sitting  upon  the  mount,  and  as 
long  as  his  hands  are  upheld  by  obe- 
dience to  his  direction  and  his  counsel, 
Israel  will  prevail  against  her  enemies. 
But  whenever  we  come  to  a  time  when 
we  allow  his  hands  to  fall,  and  we  as 
the  Priesthood  of  the  living  God  fail 
to  uphold  his  hands,  just  in  that  day  we 
may  expect  our  enemies  to  come  upon 
us  and  to  destroy  us. 

I  was  down  in  Kelsey,  Texas,  last 
November,  and  I  heard  a  group  of  anx- 
ious people  asking,  "Is  now  the  day  for 
us  to  come  up  to  Zion,  where  we  can 
come  to  the  mountain  of  the  Lord, 
where  we  can  be  protected  from  our 
enemies?"  I  pondered  that  question,  I 
prayed  about  it.  What  should  we  say 
to  those  people  who  were  in  their  anx- 
iety? I  have  studied  it  a  bit,  I  have 
learned  something  of  what  the  Spirit 
has  taught,  and  I  know  now  that  the 
place  of  safety  in  this  world  is  not  in 
any  given  place;  it  doesn't  make  so 
much  difference  where  we  live;  but  the 
all-important  thing  is  how  we  live,  and 
I  have  found  that  security  can  come  to 
Israel  only  when  they  keep  the  com- 
mandments, when  they  live  so  that  they 
can  enjoy  the  companionship,  the  direc- 
tion, the  comfort,  and  the  guidance  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  when  they 
are  willing  to  listen  to  these  men  whom 
God  has  set  here  to  preside  as  His 
mouthpieces,  and  when  we  obey  the 
counsels  of  the  Church. 

(Concluded  on  page  447) 


i&t  t^«?s 


WE  BELIEVE  IN 


Through  the  years,  the  Sunday  Salt  Lake 
Tribune  has  served  its  readers  in  many 
ways.  Its  first  duty  is  to  present  a  complete, 
factual  report  of  the  news.  To  this,  it  adds 
the  comment  of  such  recognized  author- 
ities as  Walter  Lippmann,  Paul  Mallon, 
Constantino  Brown,  and  Waverly  Root. 
This  complete  news  coverage  you  will  find 
only  in  the  Sunday  Salt  Lake  Tribune. 


HOME 
FAMILY 


Beyond  the  news,  the  Sunday  Salt  Lake 
Tribune,  through  its  complete  feature  sec- 
tion, brings  carefully  prepared  material  on 
hobbies  and  interests  in  which  all  mem- 
bers of  the  family  join.  Society  and  sports 
— homes  and  gardens — art  and  literature 
and  music — foods  and  fashions  are  among 
the  many  subjects  thoroughly,  intelligently 
covered. 


JDYOF 
LIVING 


Sunday  and  the  Tribune  "funnies"  are 
synonymous  throughout  the  Intermountain 
West  where  this  newspaper  is  regularly 
read.  Sunday's  Tribune  delves  deeply  into 
the  movies,  the  stage,  personalities  of 
famous  folk. 

ALL  THESE  THINGS,  the  Sunday  Tribune 
believes  in.  The  result  is  a  completely 
engrossing  newspaper,  carefully  edited, 
designed  for  reading  and  enjoyment  by 
all  the  family.  Only  the  Sunday  Salt  Lake 
Tribune  extends  this  complete  reading 
enjoyment. 


THE  SUNDAY  SALT  LAKE  TRIBUNE, 
delivered  with  either  the  daily  Salt  Lake 
Tribune  or  Daily  Salt  Lake  Telegram,  is  the 
West's  greatest  newspaper  buy,  ^  i  /  / 
costing  each  Sunday  only  A  far 


445 


•    •••••     ••     ••     *    •     •    •     *••• 


•   **•*••*•*•******** 

Here's  Tour  Job  . . . 

FDR    A    FAMILY    DF    FIVE 

For  an  average  family  of  five  (like  Improvement  Era  families)  OP  A  will  allow  enough  extra 
sugar,  in  addition  to  the  regular  ration  allowance,  to  put  up  500  quarts  of  fresh  fruits,  or  400 
quarts  of  fruits  and  25  pounds  of  sugar  left  over  for  jams  and  jellies. 

Home  canning,  on  this  scale,  is  both  a  privilege  and  a  duty  in  this  food-short  year. 


HDW  TD  GET  THE  SUGAR:  Spend  Stamps  Nos.  15  and  16  for 
five  pounds  each  at  your  grocery  store  for  home  canning  sugar.  Then 
make  application  in  writing  to  your  local  ration  board  for  additional  sugar 
up  to  fifteen  pounds  per  person  .  .  .  and  take  or  send  it,  together  with  War 
Ration  Book  One  for  each  person  involved. 


*  PMOVtT  OF 

:;f$EmtM  FARMS 


u 


I   SUGAR 


AND 

HOME     Q  R  D  W  N - H  D  M  E      PROCEE 


I 


om 


GRANULATED 


446 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


HAROLD  B.  LEE 

(Concluded  from  page  445) 
When  a  decision  has  been  reached 
by  the  presiding  councils  of  the  Church 
and  a  majority  in  these  councils  has 
decided  on  a  certain  policy,  and  then 
there  comes  a  minority  voice  contrary 
to  that  majority  decision  one  may  know 
with  a  surety  that  that  minority  voice 
is  not  speaking  the  will  of  the  Lord.  I 
tremble  when  I  think  of  the  truth  of  that 
statement.  I  am  greatly  concerned  when 


I  now  sit  in  one  of  the  presiding  councils 
of  the  Church,  and  remember  that  in 
days  gone  by  there  have  been  those 
who  have  fallen  by  the  way  because 
they  went  out  in  contradiction  of  the 
majority  decision  of  that  body.  And  so 
that  places  before  you  a  safe  guide. 
Should  there  be  those,  even  though 
in  high  places,  who  may  come  among 
you  not  speaking  the  policy  of  the 
Church  as  declared  by  these  men 
whom  we  sustain  as  the  prophets  of 
the  living  God,  the  Church  may  know 


that  those  who  thus  speak  are  not 
speaking  the  mind  of  the  Lord  and  the 
voice  of  the  Lord  and  the  power  of  God 
unto  salvation. 

God  help  us  to  follow  the  light.  May 
we  be  guided  unerringly  through  this 
day  of  grave  uncertainty,  that  we  may 
be  kept  upon  Zion's  hill  and  be  not 
strangers  and  barbarians  to  the  work  of 
the  Lord,  but  may  be  ones  to  listen  to 
him  who  is  our  shepherd,  whose  voice 
we  know,  I  humbly  pray,  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 


EVIDENCES  AND  RECONCILIATIONS 


{Concluded  from  page  417) 
who  may  be  present,  and  to  accustom 
them  to  the  ordinance,  they  are  taught 
to  accept  the  emblems  of  the  sacrament. 

The  sacrament  is  intended  for  the 
members  of  the  Church.  The  cove- 
nants in  the  prayer  of  blessing  are  those 
made  when  entrance  into  the  Church  is 
consummated.  Where  there  are  many 
non-members  present  in  a  sacrament 
meeting,   the   presiding   officer   usually 


announces  that  the  sacrament  will  be 
administered  to  members  of  the  Church. 
without  further  comment.  There 
should,  however,  be  no  attempt  to 
withhold  the  bread  and  water  from  non- 
members.  If  such  persons  partake,  it 
will  be  upon  their  own  responsibility; 
and  to  some  extent  at  least  they  then 
accept  the  meaning  and  covenants  of 
the  ordinance. 

President  Brigham  Young,  speaking 
upon  the  sacrament,  said,  "Its  observ- 


ance is  as  necessary  to  our  salvation 
as  any  other  of  the  ordinances  and  com- 
mandments that  have  been  instituted  in 
order  that  the  people  may  be  sancti- 
fied." (Discourses  of  Brigham  Young, 
P.  171.) 

Members  of  the  Church  should  de- 
light in  the  privilege  of  partaking  of  the 
Lord's  sacred  supper,  thereby  affirming 
their  faith  in  Jesus  the  Christ  and  their 
allegiance  to  the  Church  of  Christ.- — 
/.  A.  W. 


(Concluded  from  page  415) 

Mormon  Distinction  at  Harvard 

■JhDwin  Q.  (Ted)  Cannon,  Jr.,  son  of 
■L'  President  Edwin  Q.  Cannon  of  the 
Ensign  Stake,  was  one  of  ten  men  at 
the  Harvard  Graduate  School  of  Busi- 
ness Administration  to  receive  the 
George  F.  Baker  scholarship  award  in 
June,  considered  the  school's  highest 
annual  distinction.  Along  with  his 
M.B.A.  degree,  Ted  received  a  commis- 
sion in  the  quartermaster  corps  of  the 
U.S.  Army  as  the  result  of  four  years' 


THE  CHURCH  MOVES  ON 

training  in  R.O.T.C.  and  is  now  sta- 
tioned at  Camp  Lee,  Virginia.  In  Cam- 
bridge, Ted  found  time  to  act  as  Sunday 
School  superintendent  in  the  local 
branch,  where  his  wife,  Janeth  Russell 
Cannon,  was  also  active. 

"Millennial  Star"  Now  Monthly 

T^he  Millennial  Star,  one  of  the  oldest 
of  Church  publications,  became  a 
monthly  magazine  beginning  April  1, 
1943.  From  its  inception  in  1840  to 
1845,  the  Star  was  published  monthly. 
From  June  1845  until  1852,  it  was  pub- 


lished fortnightly,  and  from  that  date 
weekly. 

The  present  change  was  caused  by 
difficulties  of  rising  cost  of  production, 
postage,  and  packing,  restriction  of 
supplies,  and  shortage  of  labor. 

President  Andre  K.  Anastasiou,  act- 
ing president  of  the  British  Mission  and 
editor  of  the  Star,  plans  a  sixty- four 
page  publication,  "with  an  extra  sixteen 
pages  as  circumstances  permit." 

Since  1840  the  Millennial  Star  has 
published  almost  one  hundred  thousand 
pages. 


"I'M  S&virtfy  20% 

ON  MY  FIRE  INSURANCE 


n 


—  and  getting  the  strongest  and  safest 
capital  stock  insurance  that  money  can  buy, 
at  the  same  time.  That's  what  I  call  a  good 
buy!  The  GENERAL  of  AMERICA  writes  in- 
surance on  "preferred  risk"  property  only, 
which  explains  how  they  are  able  to  make 
these  sayings." 

Ask  your  GENERAL  Agent— TODAY! 
CAPITAL  STOCK  INSURANCE  .  .  .  AT  ITS  BEST! 


GENERAL  INSURANCE  COMPANY  OF  AMERICA 
GENERAL  CASUALTY  COMPANY  OF  AMERICA 
FIRST  NATIONAL  INSURANCE  CO.  OF  AMERICA 

H.  K.  DENT,  President  .  .  .  Home  Office:  SEATTLE 


GENERAL 

INSURANCE  CO 

QFAMERICA 
Wom&Qffice 


Utah  -  Southern  Idaho  Service  Office,  201   McCornick  Bldg.,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


JULY,  1943 


447 


noun  pk  una  anus 


Let's  Say  It  Correctly 

"Drom  congenial  Dr.  Franklin  S.  Harris,  Jr.,  youthful  instructor 
*■  in  physics  who,  through  omnivorous  reading,  monthly  "ex- 
plores the  universe"  for  the  Era,  there  comes  the  following  item 
—the  result  of  some  digging  in  an  old  issue  of  the  Millennial 
Star — which  might  have  appeared  as  a  "Let's  Say  It  Correct- 
ly" nearly  a  hundred  years  ago: 

Notice:  Persons  procuring  post-office  orders  to  send 
us  are  requested  to  be  particular  in  giving  our  name 
correctly.  Some  orders  have  come  payable  to  "Horse 
and  Hide"— -some  to  "Horson  Ide."  To  avoid  giving 
an  incorrect  pronunciation  of  our  name,  the  persons 
wishing  to  procure  an  order  for  us  had  better  write  our 
name  on  paper,  in  a  plain  legible  hand,  and  present  it 
to  the  Post  Master  issuing  the  order.  This  will  save 
trouble.  Remember  that  our  name  is — ORSON 
HYDE.— Millennial  Star,  8:143  (1846). 

And  just  in  case  some  don't  know,  the  official  name  of  our 
magazine  is  The  Improvement  Era — not  Area,  Eara,  nor  Ira — 
neither  Improved  nor  New  Era,  although  we  hope  the  ad- 
jectives fit! 

Proofing  the  Proofreader 

"Decause,  among  other  things,  we  gave  a  wrong  reference  in 
*J  the  scriptural  crossword  puzzle,  and  misspelled  a  name,  and 
committed  an  anachronism,  and  gave  incorrect  page  numbers, 
and  were  inconsistent  in  punctuation — for  these  sins  we  are 
awarding  a  copy  of  Gospel  Standards  to  the  following  readers, 
first  from  their  respective  regions  to  report  errors  found  in  the 
May  Era: 

Donald  K.  Barton,  Iowa  City,  Iowa;  George  M.  Bergman, 
Salt  Lake  City;  Mrs.  Thurman  Burch,  Oakley,  Idaho;  Mrs. 
F.  M.  Henderson,  Raleigh,  North  Carolina;  William  W.  Mor- 
gan, Palmyra,  New  York;  and  A.  J.  Schow,  Modesto,  Cali- 
fornia. 

Readers  are  invited  to  indulge  in  a  "last  fling"  of  error- 
finding,  for  this  issue  will  mark  the  close  of  the  Era's  "proof- 
reading invitational,"  which  for  six  months  has  been  leading  us 
a  merry  chase.  Other  reader-participation  features  are  being 
planned,  however.    Watch  for  them. 

June  awards  in  "Proofing  the  Proofreader"  will  be  announced 
next  month;  July  winners  in  September,  since  deadline  for  re- 
porting typographical  errors  is  July  25,  too  late  for  August 
announcement.  In  reporting  errors  found  in  this  issue,  ad- 
dress a  penny  postcard  to  50  North  Main  Street,  Salt  Lake 
City,  Utah,  indicating  nature  and  position  of  the  error.  For 
the  last  time,  may  you  heed  while  you  read. 

® 

Newberry,  Florida 

Editors: 

I  have  been  reading  The  Improvement  Era  and  I  really  enjoy 
it.  The  more  I  read  the  more  I  learn  and  the  more  I  learn 
the  more  I  want  to  read  it.  I  carried  it  to  one  of  my  classes 
and  the  teacher  said  it  was  a  grand  book  to  read. 

Pvt.  Perry  E.  Hodge,  Jr. 
Camp  Lee,  Virginia. 

$ 

Wigan,  England 

IF  you  could  pass  word  to  The  Improvement  Era  you  might 
tell  them  how  much  we  appreciate  its  arrival  here. 
Long  may  it  live. 

(Clifford  Hartley,  branch  president,  Wigan,  England,  in  a 
letter  to  Archibald  F.  Bennett,  secretary,  Genealogical  Society 
of  Utah.) 

$ 

Franklin,  Maine 

I  am  writing  to  thank  you  for  my  book,  Gospel  Standards. 
.  .  .  Although  I  have  been  a  subscriber  to  the  .Era  only  a  short 
time,  I  have  read  it  quite  a  while  through  the  kindness  of  the 
missionaries  and  have  always  enjoyed  it  very  much.  It  is 
so  nicely  printed  and  in  my  humble  opinion  contains  so  few 
errors  that  I  feel  apologetic  in  calling  attention  to  the  slight 
ones  I  do  find.  However,  with  such  an  incentive  one  can 
hardly  refrain.  .  .  .  Again  I  thank  you  for  the  book,  which  I 
know  will  be  a  source  of  inspiration  always. 

Sincerely, 

Mary  D.  Wilbur 


Bright  Boy 

Jimmy  giggled  when  the  teacher  read  the  story  of  a  man  who 
swam  a  river  three  times  before  breakfast. 

"You  do  not  doubt  that  a  trained  swimmer  could  do  that,  do 
you,  Jimmy?" 

"No,  ma'am,  but  I  wonder  why  he  didn't  make  it  four,  and  get 
get  back  to  the  side  where  his  clothes  were." 

Still  Followed 

Mark  Twain's  advice  to  a  reporter:  "Get  your  facts  first, 
then  you  may  distort  'em  as  you  please." 

Dog  House  Gossip 

Beryln:    "Your  husband  told  Fred  he  led  a  dog's  life." 
Madge:  "Yes,  he  comes  home  with  muddy  feet,  makes  himself 
comfortable  by  the  fire,  waits  until  he  is  fed  and  often  growls." 

Not  the  Best  Method 

Farmer:  "I  thought  you  said  you  were  going  to  plow  that 
ten-acre  field?" 

Hired  Man:  "Oh,  no.  I  just  said  I  was  thinking  about  plow- 
ing it." 

Farmer  (grimly) :  "I  see.  You  were  merely  turning  it  over 
in  your  mind." 

Undecided 

"But  you  cannot  withdraw  your  plea  of  guilty  after  the  case 
has  been  heard.    How  is  it  you  wish  to  reverse  your  plea  now?" 

"Well,  you  see,  judge,  dat  speech  ob  mah  lawyer  done 
'vinced  me  I'se  innocent." 

Little  Difference 

Madam:    "Come,  John,  we  are  ready  to  go." 
Milliner:   "Pardon,  madam,  here's  the  hat  you  bought — that's 
the  box  you're  wearing." 

Confidence  Personified 

The  go-getter,  hearing  of  a  position  open  in  another  city, 
wired  the  following  "collect"  message:  "Am  on  way  to  accept 
the  position  (stop)  deduct  cost  of  this  telegram  from  my  first 
week's  salary."     He  got  the  job. 

The  Modern  Trend 

Farmer:  "Hey,  what  are  you  doing  in  that  apple  tree?" 
Small  Boy:    "Believe  me  or  not,  mister,  but  I've  just  fallen 
out  of  an  airplane." 

Cagey  Fellow 

"I  want  to  know,"  said  the  grimfaced  woman,  "how  much 
money  my  husband  drew  out  of  the  bank  last  week." 

"I  cannot  give  you  that  information,  madam,"  answered  the 
man  in  the  cage. 

"You're  the  paying  teller,  aren't  you?" 

"Yes,  but  I'm  not  the  telling  teller." 

Draft  Dodger 

"What  did  the  squirrel  say  when  he  came  out  of  the  forest 
fire?" 

"I  have  been  de-furred." 

Kind  to  Dumb  Animals 

It  was  cleaning  day  at  the  menagerie,  and  the  animals  had 
to  be  shifted  into  fresh  cages.  Patrick  was  assisting  with  the 
transfer  of  a  hyena. 

"Stiddy,  there,  lion,"  he  quavered. 

"What's  the  idea,"  asked  an  attendant,  "calling  that  hyena 
a  lion?" 

"Have  ye  no  tact?   Can't  ye  see  I'm  flattering  the  baste?" 

Confidential 

"How  many  of  your  girl  friends  are  in  on  our  little  secret?" 
"Six,  all  told." 
"They  would!" 


448 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


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JAM  and  JELLY  MAKERS  ! 


BY  SWITCHING  TO 
M.C.P.  Powdered  PECTIN 
YOU  •  *  "* 


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M 


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*>i 


MAKE  THESE  3 
SIMPLE  TESTS 

•  ••and  You'll 
Always    Use 

M.C.P.  PECTIN 

ODOR 

Let  your 
nose  be  your 
guide  as  to 
whether 
your  jams 
and  jellies 
will  be  better  when  made 
with  M.  C.  P.  PECTIN  or 
strong-smelling  "old-fash- 
ioned" liquid  pectins. 

COLOR 

The  pro- 
nounced 
brownish 
-color  of  "old- 
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liquid  pec- 
tins will  startle  you  when 
you  compare  them  with 
the  pure  whiteness  of 
M.  C.  P.  PECTIN. 

TASTE 

'^.'i  Compare 
the  strong, 
K<  disagree- 
Unable  flavor 
of  liquid  pec- 
tins with  the 
pleasing,  faint  lemon 
taste  of  M.  C.  P.  Think 
what  this  means  in  pre- 
serving true  fruit  flavor. 


M  C.P  ;J^AVE  fru«.  too.   for 

?*»  ^cr  -"  ** 

W-  Tested  rL^*"1.  y°"  Can 
P**«ge  are  <£££?*  ev«X 
Use -make  jam.      *,°d  easy  'o 

fha»PionSCauan,d(ie"ies  °< 
Wtextured  ^"y~c,e«. 

f'»»  flavor  emth    With  «*«• 
emphasized. 

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(NOTE.  For  Sl,     "      '"'h  P"««to. 


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TTW  ^WS  '" 


TottdL  ClutftOUtie*  OUfA^C'^ams  and  jellies  are  rich, 
healthful  foods.  The  Government  sends  large  amounts  of  powdered  pectin 
to  our  Allies  to  make  them  and  help  relieve  shortages  in  other  rich  foods. 
For  this  same  reason,  make  all  the  jams  and  jellies  YOU  can,  too... now! 


rHE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 

RETURN     POSTAGE     GUARANTEED 
SALT    LAKE    CITY.    UTAH 


U/kat  do 25  the  M&G  mean  ? 

LIBERTY — for  the  builder,  plowman,  prophet,  and  child. 
JUSTICE — for  the  widow,  orphan,  rich.and  poor. 
SECURITY — in  mansion,  cottage,  town,  and  farm. 
PROGRESS — for  the  scholar,  artist,  and  workingman. 
HOPE — for  the  weary,  oppressed,  hungry,  enslaved. 
FAITH — in  self,  in  neighbor,  country,  and  God. 


Buy  Life  Insurance  for  personal  protection- 
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a 

LJr2 


i  n  s  m  ram  e  m  jf&b 


p  jl  m 


Heber  J.  Grant,  Pres. 


Salt  Uke  City,  Utah